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What's the story?
Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has opened up about his relationship with football, his decade-long rivalry with Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo and THAT Ballon d'Or snub in an interview with Spanish publication Marca.
In case you didn't know...
Messi and Ronaldo have been at the centre of football's most intense rivalry, with their battle in LaLiga lasting for the better part of a decade.
The duo have dominated not only Spanish football, but the game itself, taking it to new heights during their time together in LaLiga.
Ronaldo won two LaLiga titles and four Champions League crowns during his time with Real Madrid while Messi boasts of a staggering nine LaLiga titles and four Champions League trophies.
The Portuguese ace has since moved on to Serie A giants Juventus, putting LaLiga's greatest rivalry to an end.
The heart of the matter
Messi recently sat down for an interview with Marca, discussing the limits of his love for the game and his rivalry with Ronaldo.
In snippets released from the interview, Messi said, "I love football, but family is above everything."
On the decade-long rivalry with his Portuguese rival, the 31-year-old said, "The rivalry with Cristiano was very healthy and very beautiful for the spectators."
Despite having consistently been nominated for the Ballon d'Or top three for over a decade, the five-time winner was surprisingly ranked fifth in the standings with winner Luka Modric and Ronaldo taking the top two spots this time around.
Speaking of the snub, the Barcelona star said, "I heard the nominees for the Ballon d'Or and I knew I would not be in the fight."
Messi also discussed former coach Pep Guardiola, Ousmane Dembele, Neymar, Andres Iniesta, La Masia and the club but the full interview is yet to be released.
What's next?
Barcelona currently sit at the top of the Spanish league table and will look to extend their lead when they face Getafe CF on January 7.
