“I don’t want to be humble” - Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to agree Lionel Messi is better in teaser of Piers Morgan interview

Cristiano Ronaldo has disagreed with the claim that Lionel Messi is better than him in the teaser of his upcoming interview with British journalist Piers Morgan. The legendary Portuguese's rivalry with Messi has been among the most discussed and debated topics in football over the last two decades.

The Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry needs no introduction, as they have been pitted against each other throughout their career. The Portuguese icon has often claimed he is better than the Argentine, while the latter has usually been quiet on the matter. However, both legends have showered praise on each other's capabilities, having dominated football over the last two decades. Despite being at the twilight of their careers, Ronaldo and Messi continue to remain among the best players in the world today.

In a teaser from Cristiano Ronaldo's upcoming interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, the Al-Nassr superstar was asked about his rivalry with Lionel Messi once again. Morgan mentioned that Ronaldo's former Manchester United teammate, Wayne Rooney, once called Messi better than him. The Portuguese disagreed and said:

"I don't agree [that Messi is better]. I don't want to be humble."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have faced each other in 36 games together. The Portuguese won 11 times, lost 16 times, and drew nine times against his archrival across competitions. They last faced each other in an official match in the 2020-21 season, when Messi represented Barcelona and Ronaldo was at Juventus, with the latter winning 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League.

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When Cristiano Ronaldo opened up on his relationship with Lionel Messi in his last interview with Piers Morgan

L to R: Messi, Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk - Source: Getty

In his November 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo shared details about his relationship with Lionel Messi. The Portuguese superstar spoke highly of his rival, and said (via GOAL):

"Amazing player, he is magic, top. As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years, we share. So, I have great relationship with him."

Ronaldo added:

"I'm not friend of him in terms of, what I mean is a friend is the guy who is with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it's like a teammate. He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speaks about me. Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they're from Argentina. My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A good guy who does everything for football."

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently performing at a great level for Al-Nassr, while Lionel Messi has been on fire for Inter Miami. It is unlikely for the two legends of the game to face each other on the pitch once again, but their era of dominance will perhaps remain unmatched for years to come in football.

Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar