LIONEL MESSI has cast doubt on Cristiano Ronaldo’s claims the two of them could become friends.
The long-term rivals are the front runners in the Ballon d’Or yet again this year, with Ronaldo tipped to equal his foe’s five-gong haul.
He once spoke of a potential friendship between the superstars, but Messi does not share his belief.
The Barcelona maestro told Marca: “I don’t know if we will be. Friendship is built through spending time together and getting to know each other.
“We have no relationship, mainly because we only see each other at awards ceremonies and that’s the only time we speak.
“Everything is fine, but our lives don’t cross over very often.”
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Messi reckons the race to be crowned the world’s best footballer is hotting up more than ever as new superstars emerge.
He added: “There are many great players around today who can win the Ballon d’Or.
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“In recent years there have just been two, but now players like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Luis Suarez can compete for that award.”
Messi – who signed a new deal taking him up until 2021 today – has been keeping tabs on old pal Neymar after his world-record Paris Saint-Germain switch.
Asked what football he likes to watch in his down-time, he explained: “Ligue 1? Yeah, a little more now than before.
“I watch everything in general, obviously the leagues in Spain, England and Argentina, although my schedule has an impact on that. I follow a little bit of everything.
“City are one of the strongest teams at the moment, along with PSG.
I never dismiss Real Madrid for what they have and their experience, even though now they aren’t getting the results people expect.
“It’s only temporary. In the end, they will be back fighting for everything because of the team they have, because of the players they have and because they have always been like that.
“Bayern Munich, too. They’re another big team that will be there at the end of the season, but it’s true that, today, City and PSG are the best.”
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