Former Juventus striker Carlos Tevez highlights key difference between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi during Juventus' UEFA Champions League game against Barcelona
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi during Juventus' UEFA Champions League game against Barcelona

Former Argentina and Juventus striker Carlos Tevez is one of those rare players who have been fortunate enough to play with two of the greatest footballers of the modern era namely Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

While Carlos Tevez played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, he used to join hands with Lionel Messi in the international setup.

Carlos Tevez was one of the deadliest strikers for the first decade of the 21st century and at Manchester United, he was part of one of the deadliest attacking trios ever alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney though their stint together was shortlived.

Former Juventus striker Carlos Tevez says Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi differ in training

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had stellar careers. Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Ors, five UEFA Champions League titles, three Premier League titles, two La Liga titles among many others. He has won two Serie A titles with Juventus as well.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, has won six Ballon d'Ors, four UEFA Champions League titles and 10 La Liga titles. Both players have been absolutely phenomenal for a decade and a half and are still going strong.

Like several players who have been lucky enough to play football with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez who has played for Ronaldo's current club Juventus, has also once offered his thoughts on what differentiates the two.

The former Juventus striker revealed that the key difference between the two legends is how they approach training. He says that Lionel Messi does not hit the gym as opposed to Ronaldo who has been Juventus' top scorer this season despite being 35-years-old.

He said,

"Lionel Messi, I never saw him in the gym. I’ve never seen him train to stop the ball or those exercises. It is all natural to him, but on penalties he trained: first he did not take them and now he shoots them all at the corner.
"Cristiano always stopped in the gym after training: for him it is an obsession and, being the best in everything, he always arrived at work early."

Carlos Tevez adds that during their time together at Manchester United, no matter how early he used to try to report for training, Cristiano Ronaldo would always be there.

"When the training was set for nine in the morning I arrived at eight and he was already there. Even if I arrived at 7:30 he was already there.
"I began to ask myself, ‘How can I get rid of this guy?’ So one day I arrived at six but he was already there! Sleepy, but he was there."

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