The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is no doubt one of the biggest rivalries in the history of any sport. Even though the fans of the two are always going at it, the players have always shown respect towards each other.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave a classy response at the 2019 UEFA awards gala when he was asked about his relationship with Lionel Messi. The Portuguese said:
“I shared this stage with him (Messi) for 15 years, I don’t know if it has ever happened before in football – the same two guys in the same stage all the time. Of course we have a good relationship – we have not had dinner together yet, but I hope so in the future,” Ronaldo said.
However, there was a time when Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother Dolores Aveiro hilariously trolled Lionel Messi. She claimed that her grandson is taller than Messi.
The incident took place when Cristiano Jr. met Messi during the 2017 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Recalling the wholesome moment, Dolores said (via SPORTbible):
“I was with him and I said, ‘look, it’s Messi, and he replied, ‘that’s not Messi, he’s short.”
“Then my son [Cristiano] encouraged him to wave. Messi is a very good person. My grandson is already taller than him, [laughs] it was a very fun moment.”
When Lionel Messi was 11 years old, he was confirmed to have a growth hormone deficiency. The Argentinian forward is 1.65 metres tall, or 5 feet and 7 inches. When FC Barcelona hired the Argentine at age 13, they paid for his medical care because his family couldn’t afford it.
Nonetheless, his height and stature has never prevented him from performing well on the field, becoming one of the greatest athletes of all time in any sport.
