Cristiano Ronaldo lauds ‘amazing player, is magic, top’ Lionel Messi, confirms desire to play until he is 40

Cristiano Ronaldo has grouped long-term rival Lionel Messi alongside Zinedine Zidane as the best player he has seen.

The Portugal international continued his criticism of Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag, but touched on a range of other subjects.

The 37-year-old’s intention is to play on until he is 40, would retire from international football if Portugal won the World Cup, and opened up on his relationship with Messi.

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the sport for over 15 years, spurring each other on to ever-greater feats.

It has been suggested Messi and Ronaldo have a frosty relationship, which would be understandable given their periods of dominance were at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

Ronaldo confirmed they were not on speed dial with each other, but he has huge respect for the Argentina international.

“Amazing player is magic, top,” Ronaldo said. “As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years, we share.

“’So, I have great relationship with him. I’m not friend of him in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a team-mate.

“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speak about me.

‘Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they’re from Argentina.

‘My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football.”

Asked by Morgan if Messi is the best player he has seen, Ronaldo replied: “Him and Zidane.”

Morgan asked Ronaldo if he would have dinner with Messi, to which he replied: “Of course, I love to meet new people and share new things.”

It appears there is no way back for Ronaldo at Old Trafford, but he is not planning on walking away from the sport.

“I want to play two years more, three years more,” Ronaldo said. “So two or three years maximum. I want to finish with 40.

“I think 40, will be a good age… But I don’t know, I don’t know the future. Sometimes you plan one thing for your life and as I told many times, the life is dynamic.

“And you never know what’s going to happen.”