Match Official Reveals Key Difference Between Messi and Ronaldo

Speaking AS, Martinez said, “They are two totally different personalities, but both are great players, I don’t think one stands out over the other. Refereeing Messi is a little calmer, he is a player who plays the ball and thinks about his game more than anything else. Cristiano Ronaldo is a little more demonstrative without being disrespectful. But refereeing them is without doubt a privilege anyone would like to have. Seeing them both score a goal from a free kick is something I will never forget.”

He added, “With Messi, we shook hands before the game. I welcomed him and he thanked me. At the end of the game, I also remember that when everyone was chanting his name, he went to shake my hand, I will always remember that.

“With Cristiano, my anecdote is him complaining to me, confronting me, because I disallowed two of his goals. He didn’t even trust the VAR. Before the start of the second half, I called him over and let him know that I didn’t like the way he had come up to me. He admitted he was wrong and agreed with me. Then he focused on playing and scored a phenomenal goal from a free kick that helped his team win.”

The Portuguese international experienced a stellar campaign in Saudi Arabia in 2023 with Al-Nassr as he ended the year as the top goalscorer in the world in the calendar year with 54 goals in 50 appearances. The Argentine, on the other hand, managed to score 28 goals in 44 outings. Out of those 28 strikes, 11 were for Inter Miami.

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Despite scoring more goals than his rival, Ronaldo did not make it to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics’s (IFFHS) annual ranking of the top 10 players on the planet. Manchester City star Erling Haaland grabbed the top spot while Kylian Mbappe and Messi were ranked second and third respectively.

Ronaldo will now enjoy a well-deserved break as the Saudi Pro League will be paused for the upcoming Asian Cup 2023. Messi, on the other hand, will start pre-season training with Inter Miami in January as the club is set to play several friendly matches including a game against Al-Nassr