The greatest rivalry soccer has ever witnessed may have reached its end on the international stage. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the books, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo now face uncertain futures with their national teams after building legacies that will be debated for generations.
FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas shared on his “State of the Union Podcast” that Messi’s career was shaped in part by his rivalry with Ronaldo. The constant competition between the two pushed Messi to become the best version of himself, as they elevated each other.
“Ronaldo’s existence, as much as some might not like it, has made Messi better and made him what he is,” Lalas said. “The competition. The volley. The back and forth. The challenge. Obviously, the ego in completely different ways, but they are both fueled by being the best.”
Even without ever meeting on the World Cup stage, Messi and Ronaldo were constantly chasing one another through individual accomplishments. Ronaldo holds the edge in career goals, but Messi achieved the one milestone that had eluded his rival.
That was ultimately winning a World Cup.
Messi accomplished that with Argentina in 2022, completing a legacy-defining milestone that many once questioned whether he could achieve. The constant competition may also have fueled his fire and determination, pushing him to keep pushing himself toward greatness.
“I truly believe that the Messi we have is shaped and formed by not just the experiences that he has, but the relationships he has,” Lalas said. “I think we have a better Messi and we have the best version of Messi because of Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Lalas believes that regardless of what people say about Ronaldo, there is one thing that can never be taken away from him: he pushed Messi to become the best version of himself, helping fuel the journey that turned Messi into one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
“You can boo him all you want, and many people do,” Lalas said. “I don’t think we have the same Messi if Cristiano Ronaldo is not part of his era and of his time and challenges him.”
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