Cristiano Ronaldo reveals he translated English for Messi at award ceremonies
Cristiano Ronaldo revealed that he acted as a translator for Lionel Messi during various football award ceremonies over the past 15 years. He emphasized that despite their intense professional rivalry, the two maintained a respectful and friendly relationship.
Why it matters
This humanizes two of the most iconic figures in sports history, shifting the narrative from bitter rivalry to mutual professional respect.
For 15 years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi shared football’s biggest stages, competing for trophies and individual honours while millions argued over which of them deserved the title of the greatest ever. Away from the spotlight, however, their relationship was friendlier than their rivalry suggested, with Ronaldo revealing that he even helped Messi understand English during awards ceremonies. The Portugal captain has now opened up about their mutual respect, although he remains unwilling to give up his claim to football’s ultimate crown.Ronaldo recalls helping Messi at awards ceremoniesSpeaking to CNN Portugal, the 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward recalled how he occasionally translated instructions for Messi when they appeared together at award ceremonies, offering a glimpse of their relationship away from the competition.“We shared the award stages for 15 years,” Ronaldo said.“And we always got along very well.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in