Sporting Giants

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have become footballing icons over the last 20 years and while they continue to break records on the pitch, they also remain cultural and business giants off the field as well.
Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore how Messi and Ronaldo have broken the mould in an era of social media with the help of experts from the world of marketing.
We also hear how they have broken through into new frontiers and discuss why the debate over who really is the greatest continues to captivate the world.

While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sweep all before them with their club sides and win countless trophies, the one accolade which eludes them both is international success.
In episode three of this four-part series, Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore the highs and lows both players have been through with Argentina and Portugal.
From agonising defeats to the ultimate glory in Europe, South America and the biggest prize of all for Messi at the 2022 World Cup.
We get the inside take from former team mates including Nani on how pivotal Ronaldo was to Portugal's Euro 2016 victory, while Emi Martinez describes what meaning the World Cup meant to Messi and Argentina.

As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rise to become the best players in the world, their rivalry takes another step closer as Ronaldo joins Real Madrid to go head to head with Messi and Barcelona.
In episode two of this four-part series, Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague discuss how the Real Madrid and Barcelona years shape the Messi and Ronaldo rivalry on and off the pitch as they battle for team and individual awards.
Hear from the likes of former team-mates such as Javier Mascherano and Henrik Larsson as they describe the impact Messi had on Barcelona while ex Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement reveals how the mentality of Ronaldo sets him apart.

The first episode of this four-part series explores what made Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stand out as they began their journeys to becoming footballing icons.
Steve Crossman is joined by Guillem Balague, who is author of 'Cristiano Ronaldo: The Biography' and the biography 'Messi'.
From playing on the streets in Argentina and Portugal, to the bright lights of Barcelona and Manchester United, in this episode we discover how Messi and Ronaldo began to make their mark as a new footballing rivalry was formed which would dominate the game for the next two decades.
We hear from Messi's former academy team mate Cesc Fabregas on the development of a young superstar after making the move as a teenager from Rosario to Barcelona, while Rio Ferdinand describes his first impressions of an 18-year-old Ronaldo after he came to the world's attention at Old Trafford.

Coming soon, Steve Crossman presents a new four-part series exploring how the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has redefined football over the last 20 years.