Tevez reveals the one key difference between Ronaldo and Messi

The Argentine forward reveals that the two perennial Ballon d'Or winners' approach to training differs, having worked alongside both men

Ex-Argentina and Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has gone on record to reveal the key difference between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Both men have won a plethora of major honours over the last decade on an individual and team basis, wowing audiences all over the world with their incredible exploits on the pitch.

During his time at Manchester United and Real Madrid, Ronaldo has won the Champions League five times, along with multiple domestic titles in England and Spain, not to mention managing to secure his place in Los Blancos history by finishing his spell at the club as their all-time record goalscorer.

Messi, on the other hand, has stayed loyal to Barcelona over the course of his illustrious career to date, after coming through the ranks at the Camp Nou at youth level. 

The 31-year-old maestro is a four-time Champions League winner and a nine-time La Liga champion with the Blaugrana and is also the highest scoring player in the club's history.

The two men have shared the coveted Ballon d'Or award equally with five wins apiece in the last 10 years, as the eternal debate over who is ultimately the best player in the game has rumbled on intensely among fans and experts in the background.

Tevez has tried to shed light on that discussion with his comments on Tuesday, stating that he can only see one thing that sets the two forwards apart from one another, as he told reporters: "Lionel Messi, I never saw him in the gym. I’ve never seen him train to stop the ball or those exercises.

"It is all natural to him, but on penalties he trained: first he did not take them and now he shoots them all at the corner.

"Cristiano always stopped in the gym after training: for him it is an obsession and, being the best in everything, he always arrived at work early."

The former United striker went on to add that no matter how early he tried to report for club duty, Ronaldo - now plying his trade in Italy with Juventus - was always the first one through the doors.

"When the training was set for nine in the morning I arrived at eight and he was already there.

"Even if I arrived at 7:30 he was already there.

"I began to ask myself, ‘How can I get rid of this guy?’ So one day I arrived at six but he was already there! Sleepy, but he was there."

Source : James Westwood of Goal.com