Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has heaped praise on his long-time rival Lionel Messi and claimed the Argentinian is ‘magic’.

However, Ronaldo insisted he’s the best player in the world ever alongside Zinedine Zidane with Lionel Messi coming next.

“Amazing player, he is magic, top,” Ronaldo said in an interview with Piers Morgan.

“As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years we share. So, I have great relationship with him.

“I’m not a friend of him in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a team-mate.

“He’s a guy that I really respect the way he always speaks about me. Even his wife or and my girlfriend, they always respect and they’re from Argentina.

“My girlfriend is from Argentina. So good. What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football.

“Probably the best player I’ve ever seen (excluding myself). Maybe Zidane. That I play and fight with, yes.”