'I have affection for him' — Ronaldo declares love for Messi, opens door to becoming teammates

'I have affection for him' — Ronaldo declares love for Messi, opens door to becoming teammates

Ifeanyi Ufomadu 16:22 - 07.06.2025

Cristiano Ronaldo opened up about his relationship with Lionel Messi ahead of the UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain.

Portugal and Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo is one win away from winning another international trophy and appeared in high spirits during the press conference, ahead of the Nations League final against Spain.

Ronaldo answered several questions, including an interesting one about his long-time rival Lionel Messi.

An Argentine journalist asked the Portugal captain about the possibility of playing alongside Messi after years of fierce rivalry. Ronaldo, now 40, responded, keeping the door open.

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Al Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not be at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. (Credit: Imago).

“You never know. Time will tell,” he began.

“I’m 40 now, but never say never. Still, I see it as very difficult.

“I can tell you this, though: I’ve never been to Argentina, but I’d love to go. I have a lot of affection for Argentinians. And I have a lot of affection for Messi too.”

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Lionel Messi (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo greet each other prior Riyadh All-Star XI vs Paris Saint-Germain FC at King Fahd Stadium in 2023 . (Photo Credit: Imago)

He reminisced about their past, noting, “We were rivals for 15 years. At the beginning, he didn’t speak a word of English, and I would translate for him at the Ballon d’Or galas when they told us what we had to do.

“I have a lot of respect for him, and he always respected me just the same. So, it’s hard to imagine… but you never know,” Ronaldo concluded with a laugh, suggesting mutual respect and warmth between the two legends.

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