Cristiano Ronaldo has a long-standing rivalry with Lionel Messi and it got only fiercer after the Portuguese moved to Real Madrid and went head to head with the Barcelona star in La Liga.
However, the rivalry started well before that with Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or with Manchester United back in 2008, a year before Messi won his first.
In a recent talk at the 'A Pint with Piers' event, former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch revealed that Ronaldo was teased by his United teammates and the Juventus star had a typical-Ronaldo reply to give.
"I spoke to some of the United players and said what's Ronaldo like, and they said they used to wind him up by saying Messi was better than him and he said: "Yeah, but Messi doesn't look like this", Crouch revealed.
Crouch went on to remember what it was to face Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma on either wings when the two broke out in Portugal's U21 squad.
"Ronaldo's record is ridiculous. He averages over a goal a game in like 500 games," Crouch added.
"I played against Ronaldo when he was 18, it was him and Quaresma on either wing when England U21s played Portugal's. We had no idea who either of them were. Our full backs were Paul Knochesky and J Lloyd Samuel.
"I remember them passing to each other. Quaresma would pass with the outside of the boot and Ronaldo would control it on his back, popping it up and then running at Paul Konchesky.
"It was the best thing I'd ever seen in my life and from that moment I was thinking who are these two, they are the best players I have ever seen," Crouch further said.
Crouch went on to say that back in their early years Quaresma was better. He also said Messi was naturally gifted while it was Ronaldo's mentality that he admired.
"At that time, Quaresma was better than Ronaldo, bizarrely. Messi for me is the most naturally-gifted footballer we've ever seen.
"I think Ronaldo, I admire his determination and mentality and his single-mindedness, but if you're talking gifted footballers, there is no comparison to Messi."
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