Lionel Messi posts gym selfie before arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo responds
Lionel Messi now plies his trade on a separate continent to Cristiano Ronaldo but some fans are convinced that their long-running rivalry rages on after the pair posted gym selfies within a day of each other.
The warring duo helped to define an era in football during their respective spells with arch-enemies Barcelona and Real Madrid at the peak of their powers. Their standoff also stretched to individual honours during that period, as they established a virtual duopoly in the Ballon d'Or stakes.
Fast forward to 2023 and it appears that some residual tension between the two sporting icons may persist, at least according to some observant fans. Such claims emerged after Ronaldo posted a picture of himself on his Instagram following a workout in the gym - just a day after his old rival had done the same.
Messi posted a snap that showed off his abs following a workout as he stood alongside his wife Antonela, who was also kitted out in gym wear. Showing that the work never stops for the dedicated professional, the eight-time Ballon d'Or victor appeared to be keeping up his fitness during the MLS off-season.
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Only last month, the former Barcelona hero was also shown performing some tasking pull-ups in the gym in a video posted by his wife on Instagram. In that instance, it appeared that he was undertaking a session alongside renowned trainer to the stars Bret Contreras during his break from Inter Miami action.
The expert trainer, who is is known as 'the Glute Guy', called the shots as he showed sporting legends get no special treatment as he put the Argentine icon through his paces. Meanwhile, the 36-year-old winger demonstrated his elite condition as he executed the pull ups, while donning a dip belt alongside a weight between his legs.
Unlike his old rival Messi, Ronaldo is currently in mid-season, with his Al-Nassr side locked in a title race tussle at the summit of the Saudi Pro League. After inspiring his team to a 5-2 win over Al-Ittihad on December 26 with two strikes, he is gearing up for another crucial clash against Al-Taawoon on December 30.
Cristiano Ronaldo posted a gym selfie a day after his old rival did the same (Instagram)
Lionel Messi posted a snap of him and wife Antonela after a workout (Instagram)In between those games, he appeared to be hard at work in the gym, as he chases the all-time record for most goals in the league in a calendar year. In a post on Instagram, he showed off his toned physique, alongside three emojis of the 'ok' hand, the peace sign and the gym emoji.
Such is the rivalry between the pair, that some enthusiasts were left in no doubt that the former Manchester United hero had posted the picture in response to his fabled enemy. Acknowledging the ongoing dedication of the pair to their profession, one Twitter/X user said: "Yesterday it was Messi, now it's Ronaldo posting photos in the gym. Always practice hard to stay at the top for a long time."
One fan was less convinced that their was a correlation behind the Portuguese marksman's post in relation to Messi's, however, as they implied that it was just a coincidence. Taking to Twitter/ X to respond to a side-by-side picture of the two posts, they argued: "They are doing their own thing and Ronaldo has been posting gym pictures since forever."
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