The story of the greatest confrontation between footballers
The soccer world is always hungry for colorful confrontations. When the young Argentine talent Lionel Messi was just starting to emerge at Barcelona and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was shining at Manchester United, fans were eagerly awaiting their face-to-face meeting. It is very easy to watch the best matches if you download the branded application of the bookmaker company 1xBet download to your smartphone, or tablet. Their first match took place on April 23, 2008 in the Champions League semi-final match. At that time, Messi was 20 years old, while Ronaldo was 23.
The match was extremely eventful, although the scoreboard eventually showed a draw. Cristiano had a great chance to score a quick goal. The referee put an eleven-meter kick in the gate “Catalans”. However, the Portuguese shot came past the goal. Messi also had opportunities for a goal, but the defense of the “Red Devils” acted without error.
Evolution of the rivalry
Ronaldo and Messi have played as many as 37 matches against each other. This was made possible thanks to the Portuguese’s move to “Real Madrid”.
The statistics of these meetings speak for themselves:
- Messi won 17 victories;
- Ronaldo won 11 matches;
- 9 games ended in a draw.
Every match between “Barça” and “Real” turned into a real soccer feast. Both players constantly raised the bar of their skills, setting incredible performance records and delighting fans around the world with their play. In many ways, both players have contributed to the development of their opponents. As part of the Spanish teams, the legends crossed paths, both in national tournaments and on the international stage.
The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has gone far beyond the soccer field. They inspired a whole generation of young footballers, showing that constant improvement and working hard can lead to incredible results. Their rivalry has contributed to the popularity of soccer on a global scale. It is not for nothing that the world is divided into 2 camps – those who consider Cristiano the greatest player and those who put Lionel in the first place.
The legacy of two geniuses
Messi and Ronaldo are now at the end of their careers. Both soccer experts and fans are starting to summarize their confrontation. Messi went to MLS, where he has every chance to lead Inter Miami to victory in the national championship. Ronaldo is conquering Saudi Arabia, where there is now a lot of investment in the development of soccer in the region. To bet on competitions involving them, you just need to download the convenient 1xBet app on your mobile device. It allows you to follow all matches live.
In 2024, the players could cross paths again in the same match, but the players did not enter the lineup at the last minute. Even if it doesn’t happen, their confrontation will forever remain golden pages in soccer history. Fans still hope to see new chapters in the history of Messi and Ronaldo duel.
Their matches have become classics and their achievements will hardly be surpassed in the near future.
