“There is no doubt being in the same league changed everything,” says Txiki Begiristain, director of football at Barcelona between 2003 and 2010.
Ronaldo’s world record £80m move to Real Madrid in 2009 thrust the pair right into the centre of one of football’s most intense club rivalries – Barcelona v Real Madrid.
And by the time Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018, the pair had won five Ballons d’Or apiece. In the nine seasons the pair were together in Spain, Ronaldo had scored 450 goals in 438 games for Real. Messi, 471 in 476 games for Barca.
But it had become far more than just numbers. By now, it was personal – and the growth of social media meant the world was watching.
“For Cristiano it was Lionel Messi and for Lionel Messi it was Cristiano. ‘I need to beat this guy’,” said Begiristain.
“The Mourinho – Guardiola rivalry was like a mirror for the Ronaldo – Messi rivalry. And, as players, they knew that game-winning goals were their route to one-upmanship,” added Spanish football writer Sid Lowe.
“We could watch it all on our phones. And in turn, the global exposure for the Messi – Ronaldo rivalry was now sky high, absolutely off the charts. Everything they did was must-see.
“It was on everyone’s lips in the press box, newspapers and social media comments, Cristiano and Leo were hell bent on outdoing each other on the pitch. Their personal battle for supremacy was symbolised by the ongoing trophy battle between the clubs.”
And what a battle it was. Messi and Barcelona undoubtedly won the La Liga honours, but the Champions League was dominated by Real Madrid and Ronaldo.
In 2012, Ronaldo inspired Real to their first La Liga title in four years but it was Messi who picked up his fourth straight Ballon d’Or award – much to his rival’s disgust. He went to win four of the next five.
“There is a genuine animosity that begins to grow,” says Robinson. “They didn’t acknowledge each other that much, they hated comparisons.
“They could not tolerate if they were the greatest of all time, there could be another in their era, in their football league.”
Deco adds: “I don’t think there is something similar to what happened with Messi and Ronaldo at this moment because at the same time the two clubs, Barcelona and Madrid, were at the same level and fighting for the big trophies.”
When Messi scored a 92nd-minute winner for Barcelona at Real Madrid in 2017, he removed his jersey and held it up the crowd.
“In the popular narrative, Cristiano had been the diva and Messi had been the humble servant of Barcelona, but this was the moment of Messi reasserting himself on the rivalry, saying maybe for the first time in his career ‘look at me’,” says Robinson.
Just a few months later, Ronaldo mimicked the celebration when he scored in the Spanish Super Cup at Barcelona.
Balague added: “If you needed proof of how much it meant to beat each other, those are the pictures.”