Messi v Ronaldo: A rivalry that has dominated for two decades

"There is nary uncertainty being successful the aforesaid league changed everything," says Txiki Begiristain, manager of shot astatine Barcelona betwixt 2003 and 2010.

Ronaldo's satellite grounds £80m determination to Real Madrid successful 2009 thrust the brace close into the centre of 1 of football's astir aggravated nine rivalries - Barcelona v Real Madrid.

And by the clip Ronaldo near for Juventus successful 2018, the brace had won 5 Ballons d'Or apiece. In the 9 seasons the brace were unneurotic successful Spain, Ronaldo had scored 450 goals successful 438 games for Real. Messi, 471 successful 476 games for Barca.

But it had go acold much than conscionable numbers. By now, it was idiosyncratic - and the maturation of societal media meant the satellite was watching.

"For Cristiano it was Lionel Messi and for Lionel Messi it was Cristiano. 'I request to bushed this guy'," said Begiristain.

"The Mourinho - Guardiola rivalry was similar a reflector for the Ronaldo - Messi rivalry. And, arsenic players, they knew that game-winning goals were their way to one-upmanship," added Spanish shot writer Sid Lowe.

"We could ticker it each connected our phones. And successful turn, the planetary vulnerability for the Messi - Ronaldo rivalry was present entity high, perfectly disconnected the charts. Everything they did was must-see.

"It was connected everyone's lips successful the property box, newspapers and societal media comments, Cristiano and Leo were hellhole bent connected outdoing each different connected the pitch. Their idiosyncratic conflict for supremacy was symbolised by the ongoing trophy conflict betwixt the clubs."

And what a conflict it was. Messi and Barcelona undoubtedly won the La Liga honours, but the Champions League was dominated by Real Madrid and Ronaldo.

In 2012, Ronaldo inspired Real to their archetypal La Liga rubric successful 4 years but it was Messi who picked up his 4th consecutive Ballon d'Or grant - overmuch to his rival's disgust. He went to triumph 4 of the adjacent five.

"There is simply a genuine animosity that begins to grow," says Robinson. "They didn't admit each different that much, they hated comparisons.

"They could not tolerate if they were the top of each time, determination could beryllium different successful their era, successful their shot league."

Deco adds: "I don't deliberation determination is thing akin to what happened with Messi and Ronaldo astatine this infinitesimal due to the fact that astatine the aforesaid clip the 2 clubs, Barcelona and Madrid, were astatine the aforesaid level and warring for the large trophies."

When Messi scored a 92nd-minute victor for Barcelona astatine Real Madrid successful 2017, helium removed his jersey and held it up the crowd.

"In the fashionable narrative, Cristiano had been the diva and Messi had been the humble servant of Barcelona, but this was the infinitesimal of Messi reasserting himself connected the rivalry, saying possibly for the archetypal clip successful his vocation 'look astatine me'," says Robinson.

Just a fewer months later, Ronaldo mimicked the solemnisation erstwhile helium scored successful the Spanish Super Cup astatine Barcelona.

Balague added: "If you needed impervious of however overmuch it meant to bushed each other, those are the pictures."