The undisputed greatest players of the sport of soccer faced each other on Thursday, Feb. 1. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have given us one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. Across both domestic and international ties, the duo have met each other 36 times.
Ronaldo and Messi met for the first time when Manchester United and FC Barcelona played in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The rivalry grew when Ronaldo was playing for Real Madrid, while Lionel Messi played for FC Barcelona. On Feb. 1 they faced each other for what viewers think was the last time. The end result favored Al-Nassr FC as they beat Inter Miami CF 6-0. This last game was bittersweet for the hardcore soccer fans as they know the rivalry will not last much longer, and in this predicted last matchup, Messi was only able to play 14 minutes, while Cristiano did not play at all.
Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times, with Messi winning 16 matches and Ronaldo winning 11 matches. Messi has scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in their clashes, while Ronaldo has scored 21 goals and provided 1 assist.
