CELEBRITY
MESSI AND I ARE PALS, NOT RIVALS, SAYS RONALDO
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo possibly surprised the sporting world on Tuesday night just before the kick off of the Barcelona versus Juventus Champions League clash.
The two players, undoubtedly the highest profiled of their respective clubs exchanged pleasantries and shared hugs just before the kickoff. It was a surprise as rivals of different clubs always choose after match to greet.
The pair have been at the centre of a great debate over a decade now on who should be considered as the best footballer of the current generation. In between them, they have lifted the Ballon D’Or trophy 11 times.
The rivalry was further fueled by the fact that both played on either side of the fierce La Liga rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Ronaldo has since 2018 left Real Madrid for Italian side, Juventus. So when Barcelona hosted Juventus on Tuesday, it was the first meeting of Messi and Ronaldo in a 3-0 triumph by the Italian side.
Both smiled as they greeted each other on the pitch, and Ronaldo, according to Daily Mail of Britain, stated that any relationship between the pair has always been cordial.
There has been plenty of speculation over their rivalry down the years, with Ronaldo denying accusations that he referred to the Argentine as a ‘motherf*****’ behind his back.
He has previously admitted that there is no relationship between the pair off of the pitch, but he insisted on Tuesday evening that their relationship has always been in a good place.
‘We’ve been in the awards ceremonies for 12-13 years now and I never saw him as a rival, that’s all stirred up in the media,’ Ronaldo said – as per Football Espana.
‘We always got along perfectly well and if you ask Leo, he’ll tell you the same thing.’
The 3-0 victory meant the Serie A side pipped Messi’s side to top spot in Champions League Group G.
It is a massive boost to boss Andrea Pirlo, who finally appears to be finding his feet with his side after a stumbling start to life in charge of the Italian champions.
‘This victory is going to be such a confidence-booster, we needed a win like this against a big team,’ added Ronaldo.
‘When you score three goals at Camp Nou, there can be no doubt you deserve to go through as the group winners.’
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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