Lionel Messi verdict on having Cristiano Ronaldo as a teammate amid Al Nassr transfer
Lionel Messi has admitted in the past that he would love to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo amid increasing speculation that the Portuguese icon is moving to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
The Argentine World Cup winner has shared the field and a rivalry with Ronaldo for almost two decades, cementing their status as two of the best footballers that the world has ever seen. When Messi left Barcelona to join Paris Saint Germain, the possibility of the duo playing in the same team suddenly became a lot stronger.
However, Ronaldo made a sentimental return to Old Trafford where he enjoyed a solid if not outstanding renaissance season with Manchester United – scoring 18 in the league and six in the Champions League – before his controversial exit from the club earlier this month.
Speaking about Ronaldo in 2015, Messi said: “I always like to play with the best, and he is one of them. I think it will be difficult for us to play in the same team, but obviously I would like to. I was lucky enough to play and participate with many very good players and, obviously, I would also like to do it with him.”
Ronaldo looks to be close to agreeing a seven-year contract in the Middle East: two-and-half years as a player before moving into an ambassadorial role for the country’s 2030 World Cup bid. His proposed yearly total will equate to £175million.
Messi, himself, has already agreed to promote Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid so there remains a possibility of him linking up with Ronaldo in the very twilight of his career. He looks set to sign a one-year contract extension with PSG but, then at 37-year-old, he could end his career alongside his long-standing rival.
