Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up on almost quitting football if Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or over him when he moved to Juventus.
The Portuguese star and Messi shared a rivalry never seen before as they constantly competed for who the best player on the planet for over a decade.
He got the better of the Argentinian on occasions and Messi also beat him to the award in some seasons.
The attacker moved from Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018 as he sought to challenge himself in a new competition.
It is a move he has been praised for and critics often say it shows why he is better than Messi, who has spent most of his career at Barcelona.
Speaking about how the rivalry almost drove him to retirement, Ronaldo said, as quoted by Football Italia:
“It’s so easy to stay in your bubble when you’re successful, not to leave your comfort zone.
“I dared to come to Turin, to change club, league, football culture. I put myself in danger. I took this risk which I am sure caused me to lose the Ballon d’Or.
“I don’t regret anything, but [I thought that] if Messi wins the Ballon d’Or this year [2018], I’ll quit football!’
Juve FC Says
Ronaldo is a very competitive player and will never agree that Messi outperformed him in any year during the prime of his career.
Once he retires he will live on as one of the greatest players we have ever seen.
However, he continues to play and it is a pleasure to watch an incredible athlete like him on the field.
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