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Lionel Messi once named former Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos as the player who enraged him the most on the pitch. Messi and Ramos have faced each other in 44 games over the years at the club and international level.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos's rivalry was at its peak between 2005 and 2021 when they represented Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. Both players left their respective clubs in 2021 to sign for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and played together for two seasons. In 2023, Messi left PSG to join Inter Miami while Ramos moved to Sevilla.
In a June 2024 interview with Abitare, Lionel Messi named Sergio Ramos as the player who enraged him the most angry on the pitch, recalling their multiple clashes during El Clasicos. He said (via GOAL):
“We had many clashes with Sergio Ramos: how many times did I argue...He is the player who made me feel the most angry. Then we were team-mates, but we always clashed in the Clasico: they were intense matches.”
Out of the 44 times Messi and Ramos faced each other, two were international matches while the rest were El Clasicos. The Argentine recorded 19 wins, 16 losses and nine draws overall against Ramos. Meanwhile, Leo Messi shared the pitch with Sergio Ramos 46 times during their time at PSG, recording two joint-goal contributions.
"If you talk about results, it's Madrid" - When Lionel Messi named Real Madrid as the best club in the world
In an interview with Infobae earlier this year, Lionel Messi named Real Madrid as the best club in the world in terms of results. He said (via beIN Sports):
"The best team, if we have to say, is Real Madrid, because they are the reigning Champions League winners. If you talk about results, it's Madrid; if you talk about style of play, personally, I like Guardiola's City."
Messi added:
"I think any team with Guardiola will be special because of his character, his way of coaching, and how he makes his teams play. In terms of style of play, for me, City is the best; for results, Madrid."
Lionel Messi has faced Real Madrid 47 times in his career across all competitions while playing for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), recording 20 wins, 16 losses and 11 draws. He scored 26 goals and recorded 14 assists against Los Blancos, becoming the highest goalscorer against the club.
Among multiple memorable moments during El Clasicos, Lionel Messi is remembered for his iconic celebration after Barcelona's 3-2 win against Real Madrid in the 2016-17 season.
The Argentine held up his number 10 shirt at the Santiago Bernabeu after scoring the winning goal for La Blaugrana. The iconic image is still used by football fans across the world.
