Lionel Messi once admits that he wants to play with Cristiano Ronaldo in the same team

Lionel Messi has previously said he would like to play in the same team as Cristiano Ronaldo, as the future of the iconic forward remains uncertain.

Ronaldo has not travelled with the rest of the United squad on their pre-season tour to Thailand after informing the club he wants to leave this summer if a suitable offer arrives.

Paris Saint-Germain has also been said to be among the possible choices for Ronaldo’s most awaited transfer. A move to the team would mean he will play with his long-time rival Messi, who is preparing for his second season at PSG.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated football for the majority of the past two decades. Both Ronaldo and Messi have scored a bucketload of goals en route to becoming the top two footballers in the world. Such has been their level of output that even in the annual awards Messi and Ronaldo have shared the honours in 10 of the past 11 years. Fans of both the players are continuously debating on who is the better football player out of the two.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have admitted their mutual respect while acknowledging that the professional rivalry has made them better football players.

In 2015, Messi was asked about the chance of playing in the same team as Ronaldo and whether it would be something he would agree to. “Yes, of course,” the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said. “I always like to play with the best, and he is one of them. I think it will be difficult for us to play in the same team, but obviously I would like to. I was lucky enough to play and participate with many very good players and, obviously, I would also like to do it with him.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes discussed the availability of the No. 7 with PSG sporting director Luis Campos and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. The super agent is very close to both of them after having worked for many years with Campos before his arrival in the French capital this summer. He has also handled numerous contracts for his players with Al-Khelaifi, including PSG’s most recent signing Vitinha, who joined from Porto.

But PSG don’t feel that Ronaldo is the right signing at this moment and that the club doesn’t have enough space in their wage bill to pay him.

From a sporting perspective, there are also concerns that there isn’t room for him in the team, with new manager Christophe Galtier wanting to start a season with using a back three. The former Nice coach may already struggle to find ways to play Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe together in his preferred formation, so a move for Ronaldo would not make sense.

Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes is believed to be in talks with other teams interested in signing the Portuguese. Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Napoli have all been linked with a potential move for Ronaldo.