“His priority is the game” - After Lionel Messi surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo in non-penalty goals, Liverpool legend shares what makes Argentine special

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has heaped praise on Lionel Messi after he surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most non-penalty goals in football history. The pundit believes that the Argentine's mentality and focus on the game is the key to his success and what makes him special.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Nicol claimed that Messi treats every match like it is the UEFA Champions League final, bringing out the best in him. The Liverpool icon was commenting on the Inter Miami superstar after his recent brace in the win over New York Red Bulls.

Nicol said:

"His mentality, 100%. Messi treats every game as if it were a Champions League final. His priority is the game. What he does on the pitch is what takes care of his family and his legacy."

Messi has scored a brace in five of his last six MLS matches, while also scoring once in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. The non-penalty goals have helped the Argentine take his tally to 764, surpassing Ronaldo's record of 763 goals.

Lionel Messi continues to remain in contract talks with Inter Miami as he looks to extend his stay with the MLS side. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, signed a new deal at Al-Nassr, keeping him at the club until 2027.

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Lionel Messi spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry earlier this summer

Lionel Messi admitted that he has a lot of respect for Cristiano Ronaldo's career, but added that they are not friends. However, he claimed that the rivalry always remained only on the pitch as they were focused on giving their best for their respective teams.

Messi told DSports:

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he's had and continues to have, because he's still competing at the highest level. The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field. Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We're not friends obviously because we don't spend time together, but we've always treated each other with a lot of respect.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi last faced each other in 2020, when Barcelona hosted Juventus in the UEFA Champions League. The Portuguese superstar scored a brace at Camp Nou to help the Italian seal a 3-0 win over the Catalan side, who were managed by Ronald Koeman at that time.

Edited by Nived Zenith