Why Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly made 'secret' call to Lionel Messi back in 2017?

Both stars have won a total of 13 Ballon d’Ors.

After the 2017 Ballon d’Or results were leaked, Cristiano Ronaldo talked with Lionel Messi on a “secret” call. Before the 2017 ceremony, Ronaldo had already won four.

With five awards at the time, Messi was still ahead. However, after his impressive season, Ronaldo managed to tie himself with the Argentine after winning the 2017 coveted prize.

However, a report that leaked the 2017 award results had already informed the Portuguese of his destiny before the formal ceremony.

Ronaldo calls Messi on the phone to inform him about the leaked result of the award.

Ronaldo reportedly called Messi to tell him he had won the coveted award, according to Spanish publication Don Balon. Messi commended him for his accomplishment.

Luka Modric broke Ronaldo and Messi’s stifling hold on the prize in 2018. Later, between 2018 and 2023, Messi would win three of the following four Ballon d’Ors, bringing his total to eight.

Since his victory in 2017, Ronaldo has not taken home the award. Ronaldo and Messi faced each other regularly, playing for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, in Spain’s LaLiga at the height of their powers.

As the two greats competed for the game’s biggest trophies, they had a legendary rivalry on the field. Messi and Ronaldo are not “friends,” even though he made a “secret” phone conversation.

Messi recently stated that although he has a great deal of respect and adoration for Ronaldo, he does not consider him a “friend.”

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he’s had and continues to have, because he’s still competing at the highest level.

“The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field. Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We’re not friends obviously because we don’t spend time together, but we’ve always treated each other with a lot of respect,” he told DSports last June.

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