Footballers such as Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo never cease to amaze us with their talent. While their incredible feats on the football field often come as a surprise at that moment, they are seldom completely unexpected at this point. After all, they are known, respected, and loved as the world’s top two footballers for those exact moments of athletic genius.
However, there is a huge contrast between the world’s top two footballers when it comes to personality, lifestyle, and hobbies. In fact, the contrast may genuinely surprise you. Admittedly, the most hardcore football fans might already know about some of them, but for most readers, this comparison will provide a new introspective into the lifestyle and personality of Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi Leads an Introverted Life (As Much as Possible!)
Lionel Messi regularly pulls off some of the most complicated midfield strategies at the highest levels of football with incredulous ease, but his personal life is surprisingly simple in comparison. Unlike many of his peers, Messi is a humble man at heart who actively prefers to keep things as regular as possible. Despite being the second richest (active) footballer in the world, Messi does not have extravagant hobbies, especially now that he has matured even further as a parent.
Messi is a Homebody
The 7-time Ballon d’Or winner is a homebody – that is when he can be of course. His favourite place is his own home, and he adores his mum’s cooking. He did express his love for the beach in some of his interviews, but only as long he can travel there with his family. Messi loves to spend time at home playing with his kids.
Messi Loves Playing FIFA on the PlayStation
Messi loves gaming on the PlayStation and that’s a fact he has stated multiple times over the years. Given how many of us also love the console, his one genuine hobby comes off as surprisingly common and endearingly relatable. The little maestro has himself admitted to gaming on the PlayStation for more than three hours on days when he has the time to play.
As far as the titles are concerned, Messi mostly plays FIFA. He stated in an interview that playing FIFA has actually helped him improve his own game on the field. We are sure that Messi plays other sports games on the console as well, but the latest FIFA titles are the legend’s preferred games of choice for the PlayStation every year. One can only speculate that it must feel nice for him to score a goal as Lionel Messi in a FIFA title!
Ronaldo is an Extreme Extrovert
The 5-time Ballon d’Or winning MU forward is an extreme extrovert who loves engaging in more hobbies than anyone can possibly keep track of! Ronaldo loves to travel, drive, ride, bet, play, and experience new things all the time. More recently, Cristiano Ronaldo has taken an active interest in playing baseball as well. Although some of that can be considered as relatable by the successful, athletic extroverts among us as well, it’s the way that the legend does things which sets him in a different league of his own. For example, you may love international trips just as much as Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t fly first class; he arrives at the local airport in his own £20 million private jet.
Cristiano Loves Luxury Cars
One cannot expect the world’s richest footballer to arrive in a private jet and NOT go around in a multimillion-dollar sports car! Of course, no one really expects that, and people actually love Cristiano for his flamboyant and luxurious lifestyle because it has never had a bad effect on his loving personality. The man’s car collection is far too big for even him to remember all of them, but it includes at least one Bugatti Veyron, Bentley GT Speed, Rolls Royce Phantom, Aston Martin DB9, Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 599 GTO, Ferrari F430, and Maserati GranCabrio.
Ronaldo Does Not Shy Away from Games of Chance
Next up, we have Ronaldo’s well-known love for games of chance and skill. Earlier in his career, Ronaldo’s interest in bingo, poker, and other casino games was not just well known; he became a brand ambassador for Team PokerStars in 2014. His stints at land casinos still make the news from time to time, but it is understandable that the world’s richest footballer has since shifted to more private online sessions to avoid unnecessary attention.
Now, Ronaldo can indeed afford to lose a few millions if he ever ended up on a rigged/dishonest site! Unfortunately for most of us though, losing any money at an unregistered and unregulated online casino can be very disheartening. Fortunately for players in the United Kingdom, Online Casinos UK is dedicated towards keeping that from happening. They only review and list a handful of assorted online casinos which they have personally tested and verified as being regulated, honest, and registered with the UKGC.
Ronaldo and Messi: Similarity in Generosity
With a net worth that easily surpasses the £410 million mark, Cristiano Ronaldo is, right now, both the world’s richest and highest paid (active) footballer. Over the course of several years, only Messi (net worth – £325+ million) has managed to surpass the Portuguese legend’s annual income in certain previous years, while no one else has come even in the vicinity. So, why is their wealth so important in respect to this post?
Ronaldo and Messi lead lives that are almost on exact opposite ends of the spectrum. However, the two legends have more in common when it comes to things that truly matter. Other than the fact that they have always been arch-rivals in their respective runs for the world’s greatest footballer award for more than a decade, the two greatest footballers of our time are also the two most generous professionals in the history of football. In their mutual affinity towards charity, they have donated millions for those that need it the most.
In the end, this little glimpse into the hobbies of our favorite footballers also serves to portray them as they are. They certainly have what it takes to stay on top of the list while playing the world’s most popular sport, which does indeed make them extremely special. However, it’s their respective hobbies that reveal more about their true personalities than their stunning talents on the football field ever can. Both stars are extremely passionate about football because they would not otherwise be where they are today, but the beautiful game is also their profession. Consequently, the need to worry about their public image, performance, and other interests is also constant. On the other hand, the lifestyle choices we just discussed are not a part of that. Neither Ronaldo nor Messi are invested in their lifestyles for professional reasons but rather because they genuinely enjoy their
