He may be the tainted ex FIFA President, but Sepp Blatter is never truly away from the footballing limelight. He now finds himself a part of the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry. 

Following his departure from the highest level of the sport, Blatter discussed some of his life’s greatest moments, and recalled when he was seemingly threatened by Real Madrid President Florentino Perez for statements he made about Messi and Ronaldo.

“I told students at a conference in Oxford they were both very good but that Messi was the child dreamed of by any mother and Ronaldo more robotic,” Blatter said to Mundo Deportivo.

“Cristiano was not happy and neither was the president of Real Madrid!

“Florentino was very angry!

“He said: ‘How can you say something like that when you are an honorary member of Real Madrid?’

“I told him it was a matter of personal taste for players.

“He became more enraged and told me I should immediately clarify my words.”

“Shortly after we had the choice of the Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or). Cristiano won. Football is that, passion,” Blatter concluded.

Turns out that perhaps Florentino Perez might live to regret selling Cristiano Ronaldo a few years later, as the Portuguese forward is now at Juventus.