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Lionel Messi: 'Cristiano Ronaldo is a phenomenal player'

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi brands Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo "a phenomenal player with a lot of quality".

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has branded Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo "a phenomenal player with a lot of quality", and played down suggestions that the duo are enemies.

Earlier this month, Ronaldo paid tribute to Messi, claiming that his supposed long-running rivalry with the Argentine international was a myth.

Ronaldo's comments have now been backed up by Messi, who has insisted that talk of friction between the pair, who are widely regarded as the two best players in world football, "is reinforced by the press".

"[The rivalry] is reinforced by the press, not by us," Messi told ESPN. "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, who outdoes himself each year. The entire world knows, and that is why he is one of the best of the world."

Messi and Ronaldo, who have won eight Champions League titles between them, have dominated the Ballon d'Or over the last nine years.

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Cristiano Ronaldo at the Best FIFA Football Awards on January 9, 2017
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona14111242142834
2Real Madrid1393128111730
3Atletico MadridAtletico148512181329
4Villarreal137422521425
5Athletic Bilbao146532013723
6Osasuna146441922-322
7GironaGirona146352018221
8Mallorca146351312121
9Real BetisBetis145541616020
10Real Sociedad145361111018
11Celta Vigo145362224-218
12Sevilla145361318-518
13Rayo Vallecano134451314-116
14Leganes143561319-614
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves144191524-913
17Las PalmasLas Palmas143381825-712
18Valencia122461219-710
19Espanyol133191226-1410
20Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179


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