What Cristiano Ronaldo said when teammates told him Lionel Messi is a better player

Ronaldo and Messi meet in a past ceremony [Courtesy]

Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United teammates used to motivate the Portugal star by telling him Lionel Messi was a better player.

Ronaldo joined the Old Trafford club from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and spent six years with the Premier League side.

He became a household name before departing for Real Madrid.

But before that, his United teammates would wind him, reveals Peter Crouch in his new book: "Rio Ferdinand would tell us stories about how Cristiano Ronaldo would stand in front of the mirror naked, running his hand through his hair, and say, 'Wow. I'm so beautiful!”

Ronaldo joined the Old Trafford club from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 [Courtesy]

"The other United players would try to wind him up [by saying] 'Whatever, Leo Messi is a better player than you'."

And Ronaldo's response?

“He would shrug his shoulders and smile again.’Ah yes. But Messi does not look like this…’”

Ronaldo joined Juventus this summer in a surprise £89million move but has yet to score for the Serie A champions.