Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has sought to clarify the perception that he dislikes Lionel Messi.

This notion has largely stemmed from Evra's well-documented allegiance to Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he shared a successful three-year spell at Manchester United between 2006 and 2009.

During their time together, Evra and Ronaldo formed a formidable partnership on the left flank, contributing significantly to United's dominance in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

This close bond naturally led Evra to favour Ronaldo in the perennial debate over who is the greatest footballer of all time.

However, the 43-year-old has emphasised that his admiration for Ronaldo does not equate to animosity toward Messi.

Evra reveals why he loves Lionel Messi Addressing the misconceptions surrounding his views, the Frenchman made it clear that his preference for Ronaldo is not rooted in any disdain for the Argentine superstar.

"When fans hear that I prefer Cristiano over Messi, they assume I dislike Messi," Evra explained, as cited by Centre Goals.

He went on to assert that no true football lover could harbour ill feelings towards Messi, who is widely regarded as one of the sport's most gifted players.

"I believe that if someone hates Messi, they don't truly love football. But I love Messi!" Evra declared, highlighting his respect for Messi's extraordinary talent and contribution to the game.

In the highly polarised world of football fandom, where loyalty to one player often leads to criticism of another, Evra's clarification serves as a reminder that admiration for one great player does not necessitate the denigration of another.