'We stayed at the top for 15 years' - Lionel Messi reflects on 'great battle' with Cristiano Ronaldo as Inter Miami star suggests their rivalry is over after winning his eighth Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi says his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo was a 'great battle' but suggested that it may be over after winning his eighth Ballon d'Or.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentine World Cup winner clinched his eighth Golden Ball on Monday night, edging out Manchester City's Erland Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe to claim the top prize. That now puts him three clear of great rival Ronaldo, who has won the accolade five times in his illustrious career. After picking up the gong, the 36-year-old spoke about how the two greats of the game spurred each other to greater heights for many years.

WHAT THEY SAID: Messi said, via L'Equipe: «It was a great battle, from a sporting point of view. We fed off each other's rivalry because we're both great competitors. He, too, always wanted to win everything, all the time. It was a very enjoyable time for both of us and for everyone who loves football.

»I think we deserve a lot of credit for having managed to stay at the top for so long. Because as they say, it's easy to get there. What's difficult is staying there. And we stayed at the top for ten, fifteen years. It's very difficult to stay at that level and it's spectacular. And I think it remains a good memory for all those who followed us."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi and Ronaldo are two of the greatest players of all time and have been at the top of the game for nearly two decades. They have taken the sport to new heights and have enjoyed unprecedented success, while playing for the biggest clubs in the world. These are generational talents and players of their ilk may not be around again for a long time.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT? Messi is likely to be back in action for Argentina on November 17 against Uruguay while the Saudi