Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been fierce rivals on the pitch for more than 15 years now. The pair duked it out during the El Clasico era of the 2010s when Messi played for Barcelona and Ronaldo for Real Madrid. Both of them pushed each other to reach their best on the pitch.
There have even been short instances of that rivalry spilling over off the pitch. Today, we will take a closer look at such an off -the-pitch duel, where the star duo went into a bidding war against each other to claim the ownership of an exotic vehicle.
Lionel Messi once beat Ronaldo in bidding war
According to Bleacher Report, the Argentine once beat his Portuguese rival in a bidding war back in 2016.
Alessandro Proto, the owner of the Proto Organisation, said that they sold the 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti for a $36 million price tag to the seven times Ballon d’Or winner in a Paris auction. The car also had the distinction of being owned by former British racecar driver Stirling Moss, who won the Cuban Grand Prix in 1958. At that time, the price paid for the Ferrari was the most expensive fee for a single car. The car is only one of four ever produced and is considered a symbol of the golden age of motorsport.
It is unknown how much Ronaldo bid for the car; however, the auction started at a bid of $20 million dollar. The bidding war took place during the height of the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, when both were regularly facing each other in fierce El Clasico matches.
$36 million Ferrari now graces $50 million automobile stable of Messi
Being one of the most famous and richest footballers in history, it is not surprising that Messi has a collection of expensive cars sitting in his garage.
The aforementioned Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti is the most expensive and the most famous car in his collection. It is, however, one of the many exotic vehicles sitting at his garage.
The 36-year-old owns another Ferrari, the F430 Spyder. At the time, it cost him around $164,000 dollars. Messi also owns three Audi cars, as former club Barcelona were once sponsored by the motor giants. He specifically owns the Audi RS6 which is valued at $108,000, the Audi A7 which costs $69,200 and the Audi Q7 which is priced at $54,590.
Messi also owns a Pagani Zonda Tricolore, one of the most exclusive automobiles in the world. Coming at a hefty $2 million pricetag at that time, it is also a special car in his collection.
Mercedes SLS AMG is another car in the Inter Miami star’s garage as he paid $642,490 for it. The car is considered a rare beauty by many and is probably the most beautiful looking car in his collection.
The Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale priced at $242,100 is regularly driven by Messi when he is on vacation in Argentina. Whenever the car is seen in the streets of Rosario, fans know that it is Messi behind the wheels.
Range Rovers may be some of the most expensive cars in the world, but it is no problem for Messi. He owns two models, the Range Rover Vogue coming at $200,000, and the Range Rover Sport for $69,500.
Messi also owns a Cadillac Escalade which can seat 8 people at a time. It is a sensible buy at $75,195 as his family consists of five members.
The least expensive cars in his unique garage are the Lexus RX 450h and Mini Cooper. The Lexus at $46,800 and the Mini Cooper at $19,733 showcase his immense wealth even at cars of this stature.
That concludes the list of Lionel Messi’s car collection. We could see even more vehicle adding to the list in the future, as the 2022 World Cup winner has recently signed a lucrative contract with Inter Miami CF.
