What did Messi have to say about his generational rival Cristiano Ronaldo?

Messi: 'We’ve always treated each other with a lot of respect.'

Messi and Ronaldo; Ronaldo and Messi. Their names have been linked for more than two decades as the brightest stars and greatest talents of their generation. A reporter recently asked Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi about the legends' relationship, leading the Argentine icon to say, "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 is a sculpted god on the pitch, a world class athlete with speed, strength, grace and otherworldly commitment to perfection. Lionel Messi's nickname is "La Pulga" -- the flea. A head shorter than CR7, Messi looks like an Everyman, a guy that mows his yard on Saturday and enjoys a beer with the guys when he's done. He also is perhaps the most gifted dribbler of all time, a prescient and precise passer and a marksman known for scoring dramatic free kicks and squeezing the ball through the smallest windows. Fans can find dozens, if not hundreds, of highlight compilations by both players, who between them have earned 13 Balon d'Ors and nearly 2,000 goals.

Since Messi led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he's pulled ahead in the debate over which is the better player, but the question won't go away, and Ronaldo still has millions of supporters. For most of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo played for Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, placing them on opposite sides of one of the world's most storied rivalries. Imagine the Celtics-Lakers rivalry in the 1980s with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, a rivalry some credit with saving the NBA. But on a global scale.

Bird and Johnson were fierce rivals who, as their careers progressed, became close friends. That hasn't happened for Messi and Ronaldo, but the Argentine icon told Spanish-language sports publisher DSports that it's nothing personal. Goal.com reported on the DSports interview with Messi at the Club World Cup.

"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," Messi said in the interview.

"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."