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Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal from left to right. (FILE photo)
There might be some fans who are passionately divided into camps based on who they like – Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, but there is respect between the two players themselves. Recently. Ronaldo yet again stressed a point that he has made over the years.
“I have affection for Messi, although we have been rivals for many years. As I have said in several interviews, we were on stage for 15 years. I translated for him at the galas. I have affection for him because he always respected me a lot,” Ronaldo said ahead of Portugal’s game against Spain in the Nations League final on June 8.
Ronaldo also made a revelation, saying that he was wooed by Argentine clubs to play for the Club world cup in Argentina. He didn’t specify which club but considering two Argentine clubs – Boca Juniors and River Plate – made it to the world cup, it has to be one of them. Ronaldo also stressed that he won’t be playing the tournament.
“I’have had invitations to play in the Club World Cup from Argentina. You never know, time is yours. I’m 40, but I can’t say I’ll never drink from this water,” he laughed at the press conference. “I think it’s difficult, but I really like it. I’ve never been to Argentina, but I want to.” Ronaldo’s wife hails from Argentina.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal hailed Ronaldo, while talking about the final of the Nations League. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend. I have a lot of respect for him, but I’ll do my job, which is to win, and that’s it.”
Yamal also spoke about the fight for the Ballon d’Or, “The most important thing is to talk on the pitch. Dembele (other candidate for the award) is a great player; we saw that in the Champions League. If he has to win, he will, but I am very happy to have made it to the final.”
A day earlier, the celebrated coach Pep Guardiola had raved about Yamal, but also said ‘sorry’ to the young Spaniard who plays for Barcelona, as he felt no one can be compared with Messi.
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“It’s surprising what everyone says, and it’s true: you only acquire this maturity at 24, 25 years old… Sometimes it seems like a player with so much talent, it seems like you have to take a chance on every play. Every play you have to shoot a three-pointer like Curry. No. He comes here, one touch, and now I rest for three minutes. And now he comes another touch. And now I make a little drive and I pass it again. And now I’m going to win the game,” Guardiola told DAZN.
“It’s about understanding the game based on… it’s really surprising, the truth is that we at Barça are very lucky to have found a kid again who has a perspective, I’m not going to say like Leo, I’m really sorry but Leo, for me there will be no one, no one, no one in the world like the Argentine, it’s impossible.”
English (US) ·