Lionel Messi has hailed the ‘phenomenal’ Cristiano Ronaldo as a ‘player with a lot of quality’ stating he enjoys the comparisons between the two.
The Portuguese star netted 16 goals in his final 10 matches as Real Madrid clinched a La Liga and Champions League double, and alongside Messi, has scooped up the past nine Ballon d’Or awards.
"No, I have always said it, and [Ronaldo] for his part – he is armed with the presence of us both," Messi is quoted by ESPN as telling Tencent.
"We try to achieve the best every year for our team, and what is said outside of that I don't think is very important.
“He is a phenomenal player with a lot of quality. All the world knows, and that is why he is one of the best of the world.
"Whenever a new season starts it should be better than the last one, we play to achieve win more titles and to be in the final stages of the Champions League and to win La Liga.
"It didn't happen this year. We tried, but it didn't happen; we ended it with the Copa. We hope that the year to come is better in the aspect of titles."
