The Barcelona superstar got one over on his Portuguese foe on Monday night and is now looking to chase down collective honours with his club
Barcelona’s talismanic skipper saw his efforts across the last 12 months recognised with another prestigious prize at a glitzy gala in Milan.
He was on hand to collect more silverware, with Ronaldo opting to stay away as he works to shake off a minor knock which has sidelined him at Juventus.
Quizzed by FIFA on why people are surprised to find that the pair get along so well, Messi said: “Because of the big sporting rivalry that’s developed between us over the last few years, because one of us played for Barcelona and the other for [Real] Madrid, and because we won individual awards.
“People perhaps think the rivalry goes beyond football, but it doesn’t.
“We both want what’s best for our teams and neither of us like losing. It’s something we don’t accept. That’s why there’s that competitiveness between us. The important thing is that it stays there, out on the pitch