Lionel Messi has provided his verdict on his eternal competition with Cristiano Ronaldo following his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or win.
Lionel Messi collected his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, on Monday, October 30, 2023. The Argentinian beat Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the prize, owing to the sensational form he displayed for both club and country. (Past Winners | More Football News)
Splitting the year between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, Messi delivered silverware to both of his teams. However, his greatest accomplishment came in December 2022, when he led Argentina to a third FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar. Messi scored seven goals in Qatar, including two in the final, as Argentina beat France on penalties to lift the cup.
Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or win meant that the 36-year-old is now three ahead of closest competitor Cristiano Ronaldo in historical standings. When quizzed about if his rivalry with the Portugal international is over at the event, he had this to say:
"It was an epic competition between brackets. Athletically, he was very good and I think we benefited from each other because we are both very competitive and he also always wants to win over everyone and everything.
"I think it was a very beautiful period for us and for those who love football in general. What we have done all this time is very appreciable because as they say it is easy to reach the top but difficult to stay. We stayed at the top for ten or fifteen years, I'm not sure how many, and it was very difficult. It was very difficult to continue at this level and I think it was a great thing and a beautiful memory for everyone who enjoys football."
Cristiano Ronaldo, however, seemed not to share the sentiment with his perennial competitor. Mere hours after Messi's victory, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was caught mocking his counterpart through his comments on a social media post discrediting the Argentine's triumphs.