Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Barcelona boss Xavi gives interesting insight into long-running rivalry

Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has explained how Cristiano Ronaldo made Lionel Messi 'a better player' during a rivalry that saw the two legendary forwards receive 12 Ballon d'Ors between them.

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Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi remains one of football's long-running debates. For years, the two legends focused on putting their best foot forward. From Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, the iconic stars charmed club supporters with their skill and brilliance.

With 12 Ballon d'Or trophies between them, records have frequently fallen around Messi and Ronaldo. Current Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez thinks that a protracted struggle for worldwide dominance raised the standards of the all-time greats.

Providing an interesting insight into one of the greatest rivalries in the world of sports, Xavi revealed in the BBC documentary 'Messi: The Enigma' how the Portuguese talisman made the Argentinian legend 'a better player'. The Spaniard, who spent several successful years playing alongside Messi at Camp Nou, added that he is convinced the two greats kept an eye on each other's progress in the game.

"Cristiano gave him an extra push to become a better player. Cristiano and Leo probably won't admit it. I am convinced they used to keep an eye on each other. If you're competitive, you want to be the best," Xavi Hernandez explained.

There are no signs that either Ronaldo or Messi is planning to hang up their boots any time soon, and both players will hope that they have more significant victories to grab in their illustrious careers. However, currently, while the Portugual legend is having a tough time at Manchester United, the Argentinian icon is thriving in his second season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). It will be interesting to see how the two superstars perform in the upcoming Qatar World Cup 2022 and what follows after that.

Messi: The Enigma will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from October 22, with several notable figures from the South American's past and present giving their take on what makes the 35-year-old one of the greatest of all time.