“He was complete in everything”

Former Barcelona defender and Lionel Messi ex-teammate Gerard Pique has opened up on what it feels like to play against Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo is one of the few players Pique was teammates with at club level and later faced as an opponent in club football. The pair were teammates at Manchester United between 2004 and 2008 and later became opponents in LaLiga from 2009 to 2018, playing for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Gerard Pique played against Cristiano Ronaldo multiple times, with most of those meetings coming during their time in Spain. They faced each other in LaLiga, the UEFA Champions League, and domestic competitions. They also clashed on the international stage with their respective national teams.

Reflecting on his on-field battles with Ronaldo, Pique admitted that it was ‘complicated’ to play against the Portuguese superstar, noting that he was ‘perfectly built.’

“Cristiano? He was complete in everything. A true football machine. It was very complicated to play against Cristiano. He had it all: right foot, left foot, aerial play, penalties, free kicks, power, speed… absolutely everything. He was perfectly built,” Pique said via Madrid Xtra.

Gerard Pique and Cristiano Ronaldo played against each other 33 times across club and country. In those meetings, it was the Spaniard who edged it, winning 18 compared to Ronaldo’s seven. While Pique has since retired from the sport, Ronaldo is still going strong with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

“In terms of talent, he is number one” – When Gerard Pique gave his verdict on the GOAT debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Just like every other player, Pique has shared his thoughts multiple times on who the GOAT is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo and Messi are two of the most revered players in the sport.

In an appearance on John Nellis’ YouTube channel in 2024, Pique admitted that the duo pushed each other to their limits, but he ultimately threw his weight behind Messi, citing his heroics with Argentina in the 2022 World Cup.

“Well, it’s true that the fight between them two in the last decade was quite impressive because both of them did incredibly well. I think that in terms of talent, Messi is number one, for sure,” Pique said. “It’s true that Cristiano has worked very hard to try and compete and fight for that first spot but if you see the careers of both… I would choose Messi, for sure.He showed that even though he’s 35 he can compete as the best player in the world. He showed it in the World Cup.”

Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards, having won it eight times while Ronaldo has five to his name.