Lionel Messi calls his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo "beautiful"

Messi says rivalry with Ronaldo was "beautiful"

Lionel Messi has described his long-running on-field rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo as "beautiful," saying the comparisons between them were natural within football and that their relationship never went beyond sport. The Inter Miami forward made the remarks during an interview on the program Lo Del Pollo, reflecting on nearly two decades in which he and Ronaldo dominated club and individual honours.

What Messi said and why it matters

Messi told Lo Del Pollo that the comparisons and competitions between him and Ronaldo were "natural in the world of soccer" and largely a product of them playing for rival clubs—Messi at Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid—competing for collective and individual trophies. He noted that the achievements of both players amplified the rivalry, pointing to the era in which they split major individual awards, including the Ballon d'Or between 2008 and 2018.

Messi added that he and Ronaldo did not meet often off the pitch except at matches and award ceremonies, but that they were "always on good terms." He said that now they are playing in different places and are at different stages of their lives, but called what happened between them a "beautiful sporting rivalry."

When did they last face each other?

According to the World Soccer Talk report, the last time Messi and Ronaldo shared a pitch was in January 2023 in a friendly between Paris Saint-Germain and a Riyadh Season Team made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal; PSG won that match 5-4. The last official meeting cited in the report came earlier, in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League group stage when Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus beat Barcelona 3-0.

Could they meet again at the 2026 World Cup?

With Messi at Inter Miami and Ronaldo at Al Nassr, the piece says an official club meeting looks unlikely. The report highlights that international competition may present one final realistic opportunity: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While neither player has confirmed future international plans, World Soccer Talk suggests the 2026 tournament will almost certainly be the final major international stage for both players, and it outlines scenarios—such as meeting in the Round of 16 or later knockout rounds—where Argentina and Portugal could face each other.

• Messi described his rivalry with Ronaldo as "beautiful" in an interview on Lo Del Pollo.
• He said the comparisons were natural and remained within sport, citing their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
• Last shared appearance reported: January 2023 friendly between PSG and a Riyadh Season Team (PSG 5-4).
• Last official match reported: 2020-21 Champions League group game—Juventus 3-0 Barcelona (Ronaldo brace).
• World Soccer Talk suggests the 2026 World Cup may be the last plausible stage for an official competitive meeting.

What it means

Messi's framing of the rivalry as "beautiful" reinforces the notion that the Messi–Ronaldo era was defined by sporting competition rather than personal animosity. With both players now plying their trade outside Europe's biggest leagues, any future meeting would most likely be on the international stage, and the report identifies the 2026 World Cup as the most realistic remaining chance for Argentina and Portugal to face off.