Cristiano Ronaldo reveals admiration for Lionel Messi, states benefit of healthy rivalry

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been widely regarded as the best players in the world over the past decade and beyond. Despite the intense debate over the Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi appear to have a great level of mutual respect for each other. Most recently, Cristiano Ronaldo revealed his admiration for Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and touched upon how the Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry helped the pair get the best out of each other.

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Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry: Cristiano Ronaldo adulation for Barcelona captain Lionel Messi

In a recent chat with RMC Sport, Cristiano Ronaldo, who spent nine years with Real Madrid spoke on the healthy relationship he shares with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi. Ronaldo and Messi were part of some incredible El Clasico battles in LaLiga. Since 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been all about awards and accolades with the duo being awarded the Ballon d'Or 11 times in the past 12 years. Although Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that there is a rivalry with the Barcelona star on a sporting level, he still has plenty of admiration towards his counterpart.

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Cristiano Ronaldo compared his rivalry with Lionel Messi to the one between F1 legends Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. The 35-year-old Juventus forward stated that the competitiveness with Lionel Messi is 'good' in sport because it always allows players to aim higher and keep the competitive streak alive. The best part of the competition and comparison is that it's a 'healthy rivalry' with no friction off the pitch, he added. 

Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry: Cristiano Ronaldo goals in the Champions League

On the European stage, Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most number of goals in the Champions League with 128 strikes to his name while Lionel Messi has scored 114. Ronaldo has also won five Champions League titles in comparison to Messi's four with Barcelona. Here are the first 100 Cristiano Ronaldo goals in the UEFA Champions League:

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