Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have formed a historic two-man rivalry over nearly two decades, so which of them holds the edge over the other in their head-to-head meetings?
Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to pay tribute to Messi this Wednesday, after the Argentine star announced the end of his journey with his national team following many years in the Albiceleste shirt.
Their rivalry never got in the way of mutual respect, Ronaldo insisted, and it was that respect between two of the modern era's biggest names that shone through once again in his message to Argentina's captain.
Commenting on Messi's farewell post to the Argentine national team on Instagram, Ronaldo wrote: "Leo, so many years defending your country, and a story that will last forever. All my respect for what you achieved with Argentina. A hug".
A historic rivalry that did not prevent respect
Ronaldo and Messi share one of the most famous individual rivalries in football history, forged above all during their years in La Liga with Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Fierce as the competition was, the pair repeatedly showed each other respect, whether at awards ceremonies or in media appearances, and they even shared friendly moments away from the pitch.
No surprise, then, that Ronaldo wanted to salute Messi as he said goodbye to the Argentine national team.
37 meetings between Messi and Ronaldo
Across their careers, Messi and Ronaldo met in 37 matches, 36 of them official and one a friendly that pitted a team of Saudi League stars against Paris Saint-Germain, according to statistics from Spanish newspaper "Marca".
Paris Saint-Germain won that friendly 5-4, Ronaldo scoring twice and Messi once.
In the official meetings, Ronaldo scored 21 goals to Messi's 22.
Messi came out on top in 16 matches, Ronaldo in 11, with 9 meetings ending in a draw.
Those official meetings broke down into 18 matches in La Liga, 6 in the Champions League, 5 in the Copa del Rey and 5 in the Spanish Super Cup, plus two friendlies at national team level.
Ronaldo and Messi's official meetings were as follows:
23 April 2008: Barcelona 0-0 Manchester United, Champions League semi-final.
29 April 2008: Manchester United 1-0 Barcelona, Champions League semi-final.
27 May 2009: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United, Champions League final, Messi scored the second goal.
29 November 2009: Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid, La Liga.
10 April 2010: Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi scored the second goal.
29 November 2010: Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid, La Liga.
9 February 2011: Portugal 1-2 Argentina, friendly match, Messi and Ronaldo scored.
16 April 2011: Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi and Ronaldo scored.
20 April 2011: Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid, Copa del Rey final, Ronaldo scored the winning goal in extra time.
27 April 2011: Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona, first leg of the Champions League semi-final, Messi scored both goals.
3 May 2011: Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid, second leg of the Champions League semi-final.
14 August 2011: Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona, first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Messi scored a goal.
17 August 2011: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, second leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Ronaldo scored a goal and Messi scored two goals.
10 December 2011: Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona, La Liga.
18 January 2012: Real Madrid 1-2 Barcelona, first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final, Ronaldo scored.
25 January 2012: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid, second leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final, Ronaldo scored.
21 April 2012: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid, La Liga, Ronaldo scored the winning goal.
23 August 2012: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Ronaldo and Messi scored.
29 August 2012: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona, second leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Ronaldo and Messi scored.
7 October 2012: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid, La Liga, Ronaldo scored two goals and Messi scored two goals.
30 January 2013: Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona, first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.
26 February 2013: Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid, second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, Ronaldo scored two goals.
2 March 2013: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi scored Barcelona's goal.
26 October 2013: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid, La Liga.
23 March 2014: Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi scored three goals against one goal for Ronaldo.
25 October 2014: Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona, La Liga, Ronaldo scored.
18 November 2014: Argentina 0-1 Portugal, friendly match between the two national teams.
22 March 2015: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid, La Liga, Ronaldo scored.
21 November 2015: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona, La Liga.
2 April 2016: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid, La Liga, Ronaldo scored the winning goal.
3 December 2016: Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid, La Liga.
23 April 2017: Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi scored two goals.
13 August 2017: Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid, first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Messi and Ronaldo scored.
23 December 2017: Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona, La Liga, Messi scored.
6 May 2018: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid, La Liga, Ronaldo and Messi scored.
8 December 2020: Barcelona 0-3 Juventus, Champions League group stage, Ronaldo scored two goals.