The Real Madrid forward claims he is not bitter about being
portrayed as the yin to the Barca attacker's yang and
suggests he has been at the same level for several years
Cristiano Ronaldo sees his rivalry with Lionel Messi as a
positive and sees nothing wrong with being compared to the
Barcelona attacker.
The Clasico rivals have been pitted as opposing world-class
forces within Spanish and European football for over half a
decade.
Ronaldo has got the better of Messi so far in 2014, having
won the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Uefa Super
Cup with Real Madrid as well as individual accolades with the
Ballon d'Or and the Golden Boot.
"This is part of my life," Ronaldo told World Soccer when
asked what his thoughts on the rivalry with Messi are. "It is
normal that people compare us. I am used to it. It happened
to me at Manchester United and I know how to manage it.
"We are football colleagues. Outside of football I have no
relationship with Messi, but not with other players either. It is
a positive rivalry."
The 29-year-old, who shared the Golden Boot with then-
Liverpool forward Luis Suarez (now also a Barca player) after
scoring 31 goals in La Liga, suggests the last 12 months
might just have been the best of his career prize-wise but
does not believe his own ability has shot up significantly.
"Individual prizes are the result of having achieved collective
objectives," Ronaldo added. "We had a fantastic season. We
won the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the Uefa
Super Cup.
"A trophy like the Golden Boot is the prize for playing well as
a team. I will not lie. I really wanted to win it.
"Maybe it has been the best for collective or individual prizes.
But I have been at the same level for the last six or seven
years."
Ronaldo will find out who he is up against as he bids to
retain the Ballon d'Or he took from Messi in January on
October 28
. The duo will next come up against each other three days
earlier when the Santiago Bernabeu plays host to Luis
Enrique's men.

In Koke's words, 'Ronaldo is a good athlete while Messi is a footballing god'.