Manchester United are yet to finalise their next marquee signing after Matheus Cunha, but off the pitch, global football icons continue to dominate headlines.
With United chasing the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Bryan Mbeumo, the club’s recruitment drive is only just getting started, while speculation surrounding exits like Marcus Rashford continues to simmer.
Cristiano Ronaldo, once the heartbeat of Old Trafford, remains a talking point in the football world despite his move to Al-Nassr, where he continues to break records at 40 years old.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
Lionel Messi, meanwhile, is preparing for another season with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and recently turned 38, marking yet another milestone in a glittering career.
With the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry long being a global obsession, fans have often wondered what relationship, if any, exists off the pitch between the two modern-day titans.
Lionel Messi has now shed light on that subject, revealing in an interview with DSports that he holds “a lot of respect and admiration” for Cristiano Ronaldo, but that the two are “not friends”.
The Argentine World Cup winner explained, “The competition with him was on the pitch.
“Each of us wanted to do the best for our team.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CENTREDEVILS WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
“Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field.”
He added, “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.”
Messi’s comments come amid reports that Ronaldo snubbed a chance to join Al-Hilal, who is competing at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, an event Inter Miami will take part in.
Despite never sharing a club, the pair remain intertwined in football folklore, having amassed 13 Ballon d’Ors between them and countless personal records.
Though their days in Europe are behind them, both Messi and Ronaldo continue to influence the sport on and off the field—still inspiring a new generation of players, including many currently on Manchester United’s radar.
“TENGO MUCHA ADMIRACIÓN POR LA CARRERA DE CRISTIANO RONALDO”
✍ Lionel Andrés Messi.#FútbolTotal pic.twitter.com/V2OHTL83AF
— DSPORTS (@DSports) June 20, 2025
