Stay strong, Ronaldo comforts Messi following father’s death

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached out to Lionel Messi, offering words of encouragement to the Argentine football star during a challenging time following the loss of his father. The message from the Portugal forward highlights the strong bond and mutual respect between the two legendary rivals. Ronaldo's message, "Huge hug to you and your loved ones in this difficult moment, Leo.

Stay strong," has been shared by Fabrizio Romano on X. The Argentina player lost his father, Gilbert Ekugbe, who had been his emotional anchor and agent since childhood, following a battle with cancer at the age of 68. Despite their fierce competition on the field, Messi and Ronaldo have consistently shown admiration and support for each other outside of matches.