The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo extends beyond the soccer pitch, even into luxury car collections. Known for owning some of the world’s most expensive and unique vehicles, Messi and Ronaldo once set their sights on a rare Ferrari in 2016. And it was Messi who shelled out $36 million to beat Ronaldo’s auction bid.

It was the iconic Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, which has become the most expensive car ever to be sold in an auction. And it is quite worthy of its hefty price tag as late F1 legend Sir Stirling Moss drove it to win at the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix.

Messi got his hands on this rare Ferrari during the annual Retromobile auction in Paris, hosted by the prestigious Artcurial Motorcars. The rarity of this car really can’t be stressed enough as only four units of the 335 S Spider Scaglietti exist worldwide.

Interestingly, while Messi is known for his love for racing cars, he has never shown much interest in Formula 1 as a sport. On the other hand, it is Ronaldo who seems to be quite interested in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a familiar face in the F1 world
Like many other sports celebrities, Ronaldo has been a frequent attendee at various Formula 1 races over the years including the Monaco Grand Prix. The former Real Madrid star has had encounters with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari star Charles Leclerc in Monaco.

Even his partner, Georgina Rodriguez is a big fan of the sport and supports Ferrari. Ronaldo once took the opportunity to visit Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello in 2019 while playing in Italy for Juventus.

On the other hand, Messi has never made it to a single Grand Prix since 2006 despite both Barcelona hosting a Grand Prix for several and Miami hosting one since 2022.