Cristiano Ronaldo challenges Lionel Messi to join him in Serie A (BBC Sports)

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both won the Ballon d’Or award five times.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has challenged Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona and sign for a club in Italy.

Portugal international Ronaldo joined Serie A champions Juventus from Real Madrid in a £99.2m deal in the summer.

Ronaldo and Argentina forward Messi, 31, have long been regarded as the world’s best players, each winning five Ballon d’Or awards before Real Madrid’s Luka Modric claimed this year’s prize.

“I’d like him to come to Italy one day,” said Ronaldo, 33.

“I hope he accepts the challenge like me, but if he’s happy there then I respect that.”

Ronaldo spent nine seasons at Real Madrid after arriving from Manchester United in 2009, with Messi having spent his whole career at La Liga rivals Barcelona.

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