Cristiano Ronaldo and Sepp Blatter have been caught up in an extraordinary spat after the FIFA president claimed to prefer Lionel Messi in a speech to the Oxford Union.

Blatter also appeared to mock the Real Madrid player’s fondness for preening his hair.

Real demanded an apology, which Blatter issued via Twitter on Tuesday night, and the Portugal Football Federation have described the comments as ‘unfit and inappropriate’.Ronaldo’s response was to post a YouTube video of  Blatter’s efforts to mimic him in front of laughing students and to tweet: ‘This video shows the respect and consideration that FIFA has for me, my club and my country. Much is explained now.’

Blatter, speaking on Friday, was comparing Ballon d’Or nominees Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Messi, who were both shortlisted yesterday.

He jumped to his feet, marched across the floor and said: ‘They are both exceptional players, but they are totally different. They are totally different stars.

TRANSCRIPT OF SEPP BLATTER ON MESSI v RONALDO AT OXFORD UNION

‘They are both exceptional players, but they are totally different. They are totally different stars.

‘Lionel Messi is a good boy, that every father and every mother would like to take home. He’s a good man, he’s very fast, and he’s not exuberant, he’s playing well, he’s dancing.

“He’s a kind man, a good boy. That’s what makes him so popular, and naturally he’ll always get a lot of votes because he plays well and scores goal.

‘The other one (Ronaldo) is something else. He is like a commander on the field of play. (Blatter then mock marches around the stage and receives a round of applause).

‘This is the other side of football and it’s good to have commanders on the field.

‘They don’t have the same attitude and that gives life to football. One has more expenses for the hairdresser than the other but that doesn’t matter.

‘I can’t say who is the best – there will be a contest again this year at the Ballon d’Or.

>‘I like both of them, but I prefer Messi.’

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