Cristiano Ronaldo tells his fans they ‘don’t have to hate Lionel Messi’ as he opens up on relationship with old rival

CRISTIANO RONALDO has told his fans they "don't have to hate" longtime rival Lionel Messi.

Widely regarded as all-time legends, the pair regularly faced each other in Spain's LaLiga with Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Portuguese superstar says his longtime rivalry with Messi is now "gone", expressing his respect for the Argentine ace.

Ronaldo said: "I don't see things like that, the rivalry is gone. It was good, spectators liked it.

"Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. We've done well, we have changed the history of football.

"We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing."

Between them, the record-breaking pair have won every piece of silverware the game has to offer.

Ronaldo who now plays for Al-Nassr is Real Madrid's all-time record goalscorer with 451 goals in 438 appearances.

During his nine-year spell at Bernabeu, he won 16 trophies with the club including four Champions Leagues, two LaLiga titles and two Copas del Rey. 

Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, holds Barcelona's all-time records for goals and appearances, scoring 674 goals in 781 appearances.

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The 36-year-old won 35 trophies with the club, including 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League trophies and the Copa del Rey seven times.

Ronaldo continued: "He's followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe.

"From what I've seen, he's been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that.

"We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other."

Either Ronaldo or Messi won the Ballon d'Or every year from 2008 to 2017 as the two competed for the title of the best footballer in the world.

However, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo has been left off the shortlist for the first time in two decades, while Messi could win it for the eighth time.

Messi led his country to win the 2022 World Cup and a Copa America with Argentina.

Ronaldo has won a European Championship and a Nations League with Portugal.

The two have faced each other on the pitch 36 times - the last meeting was in January when Messi, then playing for Paris St-Germain, beat Ronaldo's Riyadh All-Star XI 5-4 in a friendly.