There are rivalries in soccer that delight the world: Pele vs Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane vs Marco Materazzi, and Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi. If you are a soccer fan who follows the news, you’re probably aware that some of these confrontations have gotten quite rough over time. Who could forget Zidane’s meltdown at the 2006 World Cup when he headbutted Materazzi? Or the entire Pele vs Maradona saga and all the brutal comments they’ve exchanged over the years despite their friendship?
As for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, they seem to be a different generation of super soccer players. One that doesn’t exchange nasty comments in the press or act aggressively against each other in public, but their rivalry has motivated both of them to become better and constantly push their limits of soccer.
In the “real world,” conflicts tend to revolve around who has the largest home, wears the most outlandish suits at award ceremonies or drives the best cars, so don’t expect them to trash each other in the press anytime soon. And while the jury is still out and fans can’t decide who’s the greatest soccer player of their generation, gearheads agree that Lionel Messi has the best car collection between them. Actually, it’s more like Lionel Messi has the best and most luxurious car collection among soccer players. He owns spectacular cars like a Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe, a Cadillac Escalade, a Range Rover Vogue and a Range Rover Sport. But these are not the best in Messi’s collection. In fact, the Argentine superstar also owns a Pagani Zonda worth $4 million and there was an internet rumor he purchased a $36 million 1957 Ferrari, so here’s what you should know about the most expensive car in Lionel Messi's collection.
The Pagani Zonda
According to the South China Morning Post, Lionel Messi has a Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster in his collection. The famous car is worth $4 million, but we could say that Messi spent the money well if we consider that this supercar comes equipped with a 7.3-liter V12 engine capable of pushing the vehicle to the top speed of 214 miles per hour. The Pagani Zonda speeds up from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds.
“The Italian masterpiece is built out of titanium, magnesium and carbon fibre. But there are no images of Messi flaunting his Pagani Zonda as the exotic car is not actually road legal, according to Spanish media,” says the South China Morning Post.
The Mirror repeats the same claim, pointing out that Messi’s Pagani Zonda is not “deemed road legal.” This raises the question of what Messi does with a $4 million supercar he cannot drive on public roads.
The Truth About The 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
Car enthusiasts enjoy bragging about the capabilities of their rides. This is particularly true now, when the majority of individuals boast about their wealth on Instagram and TikTok, with a few exceptions. For instance, Lionel Messi has a spotless reputation. The media loves to portray him as this quiet, grounded, and introverted professional athlete; thus, no one expects him to flaunt his lifestyle or automobile collection. So, when the news broke that Messi and Ronaldo had faced off once more, and this time it wasn't on the pitch but rather because of a car, the public went berserk and sought more information about the Ferrari that attracted the interest of both athletes. Various sources reported that Lionel Messi anonymously paid €32 million for a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, which was driven by Stirling Moss in the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix.
“Back in 2016, Messi reportedly outbid Ronaldo to land himself a one-of-a-kind 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti at a high-profile auction in Paris,” says Mirror. “Arguably the most eye-catching automobile within Messi's collection, the speedster alone cost the Paris Saint-Germain forward a staggering £25 million. It's believed to be one of only four ever manufactured.”
Nevertheless, despite the media's efforts to set Ronaldo and Messi against one another, the situation is different. In fact, Messi himself used his Instagram page to dispel the myth and make fun of the reporters for disseminating incorrect information. We see Messi in his Instagram holding a Lightning McQueen toy car from Cars, accompanied by the caption: “My new car.” While a lucky car collector has outbid his rivals and collected the 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, it is clear that the person is not Lionel Messi; thus, the most spectacular car in the Argentine’s collection remains the Pagani Zonda.
Sources: The South China Morning Post, Mirror, Auto Josh, and Lionel Messi’s Instagram.