Former football star says unfollowed by Cristiano Ronaldo after rating Messi better

Speaking on a recent episode of "The Rest Is Football" podcast, Lineker, 65, shared the news with co-hosts and former football stars Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

"He doesn't like me very much, Cristiano Ronaldo," Lineker said. "I didn't upset him by anything I said about him... other than the fact I'm honest and think overall Messi's a better footballer. He unfollowed me on Instagram. I'll get over it."

Cristiano Ronaldo smiles during the warm-up before Portugal's match against Hungary in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, at the Lisbon stadium in Portugal, on Oct. 14, 2025. Photo by AP

The revelation sparked laughter among the pundits, with Shearer jokingly asking if Lineker had lost any sleep over the social media snub. Lineker maintained a lighthearted tone, even extending an olive branch to the Al-Nassr superstar.

"I will always like him. I've met him a lot of times," he added. "I know he's got the hump with me. But that's okay. And on that note, please Cristiano, give me a call. Let's be friends again."

The greatest of all time debate has defined a generation, with fans and experts split between the two icons. While Ronaldo is currently nearing the historic 1,000-goal milestone, Messi holds a record eight Ballon d'Or awards compared to Ronaldo's five. Lineker, a former Barcelona striker himself, has never wavered in his belief that Messi is the best player in history.

The tension may have been further fueled by Lineker’s recent "Mount Rushmore" of football greats. During a previous discussion, he listed Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo Nazário as his top four, omitting the Portuguese superstar.

Ronaldo previously had fallouts with former Manchester United teammates Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney following their critiques of his late-career performances.