“Messi is the Best” – Real Madrid’s Former $80 Million Flop Admits Being Forced to Praise Cristiano Ronaldo in a Controversial Clause

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were widely regarded as the two most talented soccer players, who dominated the game in the past decade. Their rivalry pushed them to break records and achieve new heights, leading to an endless debate among fans and players about the best among both. A former Real Madrid star shared his take on who is the better player between La Pulga and CR7 with a strange revelation about his contract with the former club.

James Rodriguez signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid for $87 million in 2014. He spent a loan spell at Bayern Munich for two seasons after a contract extension with Los Blancos in 2017. The Colombian international made a strong start to his stint with the Spanish giants, but inconsistent performances and injury issues led to his release from his contract in 2020. He has since moved on to several clubs in the past few years. In a recent press conference after signing with São Paulo, Rodríguez revealed that he had always been an admirer of Lionel Messi, despite sharing the same dressing room and field with Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid.

What did Rodriguez have to say about Lionel Messi?

The Colombian playmaker scored 37 goals in 125 games for Los Blancos. The Puskas Award winner marked his time at Madrid with nine trophies, including two European titles. However, James Rodriguez stated that he had high regard for Lionel Messi but was contractually obligated to support Cristiano Ronaldo while he was with Los Blancos.

At the press conference he revealed, “I’ve always thought that Messi is the best in history.” and added that “In Real Madrid, we were forced by contract to say that the best was Cristiano”.  The former Monaco star was a highly remarked player until he struggled to replicate his form in his second spell at Madrid. He was often benched by the former coach Zinedine Zidane, who preferred other players in the midfield leading to his departure. Although Rodriguez shared respect and admiration for both the world-class legends of soccer. He grudgingly admitted that CR7 had an immense influence on his career, but he preferred La Pulga over the Portuguese icon from his personal sentiment.

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Meanwhile, the 32 years old midfielder had been looking forward to beginning his upcoming stint with Brazilian side São Paulo in order to revitalize his career.

What lies ahead for James Rodriguez this season?

James Rodríguez has struggled to maintain his form in the past two years since leaving Everton in 2021. In recent years, Rodriguez had his contracts terminated by both Al Rayyan of Qatar and Olympiacos of the Greek Super League with “mutual consent”. The Colombian midfielder had been hoping to revive his performances with an ambitious project at São Paulo this season.

Alongside players like Lucas Moura and Alexandre Pato in the team, James Rodriguez could make a big difference to São Paulo and recreate the impact he once had in his career.

In the meantime, what was your opinion about the former Los Blancos player admiring La Pulga over Cristiano Ronaldo? Comment below and let us know.

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