Ronaldo says there's no 'big rivalry' between him and Messi, just respect
Just about any discussion on a soccer message board or comments section can and will devolve into a Ronaldo vs. Messi argument (it's one of Murphy's Laws), but CR7 himself says there's no rivalry between him and the little Argentine. They're not friends either, but there's plenty of respect between the two.
When asked by Coach magazine which opponent he admires the most, Ronaldo said: "There is a big mutual respect between myself and Lionel Messi. The media like to make out like we have this big rivalry, but we don't. It is not like we are good friends, but there is a mutual respect on both sides."
Both Ronaldo and Messi have long maintained that there's no longstanding feud between the two, and Ronaldo's son is even a diehard Messi fan. Nothing seems to have changed with Ronaldo's latest statements, even with his struggles so far this season, scoring just four goals in nine matches to Messi's 14 over the same period.
Ronaldo went on to say that Ashley Cole is the toughest opponent he's ever come up against: "Over the years I had some great battles with Ashley Cole – he doesn’t give you a second to breathe. He was such a tenacious player, quick, tough in the tackle – when he was at his peak. You knew it would never be an easy game."
There's still a chance we get to see Ronaldo take on Ashley Cole once again. Cole's still in the playoff hunt with the LA Galaxy, and the odds favor CR7 eventually hopping the pond to MLS. Here's hoping.
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