'It would be nice to still have him here': Messi admits he misses Ronaldo rivalry

Lionel Messi has heaped praise on longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo, saying he wished the pair were still competing head-to-head in La Liga in Spain.

Speaking to Radio 94.7 Club Octubre, Messi praised the former Real Madrid star, who left Spain for Serie A giants Juventus in the summer.

And the Argentinian superstar says that he misses the competitive rivalry the two shared when they both plied their trade in Spain.

"Yes [I miss him in La Liga]," he said. "It was great, although it was tough for me to watch him win titles.

"I have to say, it would be nice to still have him here."

© Reuters / Sergio Perez

The two footballing superstars may now be playing in different countries, but they could yet meet in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League, with both Barcelona and Juventus safely through to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Messi has seen Juve's dominance in Italy and subsequent improvement since Ronaldo's arrival, and says he'd love to face off against them - and his old rival - in the Champions League final at the end of the season.

"I have a lot of respect for Juventus," he explained. "They're a great team, and now they're even better with Cristiano.

"Hopefully we get to the final... and then what happens, happens."

© Reuters / Alberto Lingria

Messi and Ronaldo are widely considered to be the two best players on the planet, and Messi views things similarly.

Speaking about some of the world's top players, he listed a host of stars, before noting that he had put Ronaldo at the top of the list, alongside himself.

"Neymar, Mbappe, Hazard, Suarez, Kun [Aguero]. Any of them could be the best in the world," he said.

And when the radio presenter mentioned that he had omitted Ronaldo from that list, he laughed: "Oh, Cristiano? I took him out and put him alongside me. I swear!"

But Messi wasn't so jovial when discussing the topic of media coverage, particularly with regard to the Argentinian national team, where his performances have come under fire during big games and major tournaments in recent years.

© Reuters / Pilar Olivares

Clearly still irked by that criticism, Messi revealed: "It makes me really mad, the stupid things they say.

"They say my father manages the national team... my friends and family suffer from the lies.

"The people buy it. Then I'm the son of a b***h."