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Ronald Koeman spoke about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2020 when the two players last met in the UEFA Champions League. The then-Barcelona manager was not interested in picking between the two and said that it was great to see them dominate the game for over a decade.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game at Camp Nou, Koeman said that it was not ideal to pick one of the other as they have been the best players. He hinted that they were on a level above the rest and said (via GOAL):
"It's fantastic that these two players have been so long at this top level in the world. They are the best players, in my opinion, in the last 10-15 years. Being successful all this time is incredible. It's a great compliment to those players."
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"They are different, but they have incredible stats about scoring goals, hat-tricks, about winning prizes. It's not nice to say who is better because both are incredible, I admire both players because they gave us so many nice evenings with great goals, with great titles. Let's hope we can enjoy them tomorrow night."
Cristiano Ronaldo went on to score a brace as Juventus thrashed Lionel Messi's Barcelona 3-0 at Camp Nou. It remains the last time the two GOATs of the game clashed on the pitch, for club and country.
Rivalry with Lionel Messi changed football, claimed Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about his rivalry with Lionel Messi in a press conference back in 2023. He admitted that the two pushed each other to become better, but believed that it was over.
The Portuguese star added that they have now gone their separate ways and will no longer be rivals on the pitch. He said (via ESPN):
"I don't see things like that, the rivalry is gone. It was good, spectators liked it. Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. We've done well, we have changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing."
"He's followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. From what I've seen, he's been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that. We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other."
Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new deal at Al Nassr, keeping him at the club until 2027. Lionel Messi remains in talks over a new contract with Inter Miami, as his current deal is set to expire in December 2025.
