Spotify Inc. (NYSE:SPOT) CEO Daniel Ek said he has chosen to steer clear of competing in sports with his long-time friend and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

What Happened: During a conversation on Acquired Podcast that was posted on YouTube on Monday, Ek was asked if their relationship amplifies their competitiveness.

In response, the Spotify CEO said, "The rule I have with Mark is I don't try to go into a competition with him because I know it'll end badly for both of us."

He went on to speak about Zuckerberg's intense competitiveness, even to the point of sustaining injuries, which has discouraged him from engaging in sports with the Meta CEO.

"The last time he sort of tore his ACL with someone rather than giving up, so I feel like it would end pretty badly," he said, adding, "I like playing when I know I'll win, so I think it's a pretty good thing not to do that."

In the past few years, Zuckerberg has embraced mixed martial arts and surfing as new interests, giving him a fresh outlook and influencing his style along the way.

Last year in November it was reported that he underwent surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.

Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.

Why It's Important: Sean Parker, an early investor in both Spotify and Facebook, introduced Ek and Zuckerberg in 2008. Their early talks focused on integrating Spotify with Facebook, a key move for the music-streaming platform's growth when it was still invite-only.

In a separate interview last year, Ek told Forbes that Zuckerberg has learned from his experiences the good and bad, ignited fresh passion, and realized the need for responsible action.

"But there's still some of the old Mark, where he is betting on things even though everyone tells him 'this is never gonna work,'" he stated at the time.

The Spotify CEO was probably referring to Zuckerberg's bold $100 billion investment in the Metaverse. While this move initially shook Wall Street and Facebook's stock, the company has since rebounded.

Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.

• Elon Musk Mocks Vinod Khosla After OpenAI Investor Mixes Up Argentina's Poverty And Unemployment Rates To Draw Parallels Between Javier Milei And Trump: 'Vinod Is Just Actually Not Smart'

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock