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"He would probably have like 15 Ballons d'Or today" - When Patrice Evra explained why Lionel Messi lost awards to Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra claimed in 2023 that Lionel Messi would have won 15 Ballons d’Or if he had Cristiano Ronaldo's work ethic. Evra also revealed that he preferred Ronaldo over Messi as he admired hardworking individuals.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two most iconic players of their generation, and the debate regarding who is better between the two has continued to divide opinions.

Evra, who appeared as a guest speaker in the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast in 2023, said on the matter (via GIVEMESPORT):

"I feel like Messi, God just gave him a talent and Cristiano had to work for it. He had the talent, but he had to work for it. If Messi had the same work ethic as Ronaldo, he would probably have like 15 Ballons d'Or today. I'm just in love with people working hard so that's why I pick Ronaldo over Messi."

As of now, Lionel Messi has won eight Ballons d’Or compared to Cristiano Ronaldo's five.

When Patrice Evra jokingly explained why people should not visit Cristiano Ronaldo

Soccer Aid For UNICEF 2024 - Matchday - Source: Getty

Patrice Evra jokingly explained his first visit to Ronaldo's house when the two were playing together at Manchester United. The Frenchman also leveraged the opportunity to disclose that the Portuguese star was diligent with his diet.

In an interview in 2018, Evra said about his experience (via MARCA):

"He said: 'Patrice, come over after training'. I went [and] you know I was really tired. At the table there was only salad and plain white chicken so I was like 'okay...', and water, not any juice. We started eating and I was thinking some big meat would be coming after that but there was nothing. He had just finished and he stood up and he started playing with a ball, doing some skills and he said: 'Let's do some two touch'. I was like 'can I just finish eating?' [Ronaldo replied] 'No, no let's play two-touch'."

Evra continued:

"We start playing two touch. After that he said let's go to the pool to swim, I was like 'okay...' after going in the jacuzzi, the sauna, I'm done. I said: 'Cristiano why have we come here, have we come here because we have a game tomorrow, or just for lunch?'. So that's why I would recommend to anyone when Cristiano invite you to his house, don't go. Just say no because this guy, he's a machine, he doesn't want to stop training."Evra and Ronaldo featured in 121 games for Manchester United together, and combined for two goals, both scored by the Portuguese. The duo won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League together at Old Trafford, among other honors.

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About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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