"Messi misses me, but my motivation depends on others"

"A lot of pepole have said that we fed off one an other. That being up against each other in Spain has allowed us to be better, to perform better and this is undoubtedly true," Cristiano said in an interview with 'France Football'.

They are the symbols of their clubs, and they feel the rivalry a lot. "At Madrid, I felt his presence a lot more, this gave me a little more pressure than in Manchester United. From my point of view, it was a healthy rivalry, the symbol of the two clubs, Madrid and Barca," he commented.

"I think that he said recently that he missed me in the domestic competition, but beyond this my motivation depends on others. I want to always be at the highest level," the Portuguese star added.

But there were also other questions: What will Cristiano Ronaldo do when his career ends? Will he go into coaching? It doesn't seem like this is likely. The Portuguese, who already combines his career with several extracurricular businesses, has made it clear.

"When my career ends, I will disconnect from everything," he said in an interview with France Football magazine, which has aroused great interest in Italy.

Cristiano also explained how he can keep playing at his level after so many years in the elites. "You have to be intelligent to last and to stay at that level," he revealed.

He also spoke about what motivates him now that he has won almost everything. "If it were up to me, I'd only play important games. The ones for the national team or the Champions League," Cristiano explained.

"These are the type of games that motivate me, the ones that have something at stake, in a difficult environment, with pressure. Then you have to be professional and play well everyday to honour your family and the club that you represent and that pay you. You need to do your best every day," he added.

And he ended up discovering, in the wake of his future (and still distant) retirement, what he wants his legacy to be. "It's always nice when somebody talks about you in a flattering way. Let them say that I have been the best, a fantastic player," he said.

"Today I listen to everything that they say about me. Then, when it's all over, at the end of my career, it will not matter because I will distance myself from everything," he said, recalling his intention to take himself off the map when this happens.