There can hardly be a more high-profile contemporary sportsmen rivalry than the one between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both these players have remarkable stats and boast most of the individual awards given in the sport in the last two decades. It almost seems like even their advancing ages (Ronaldo, 36, and Messi, 33) have no effect on their performance.
Both Ronaldo and Messi have worked unbelievably hard to be where they’re today. They are known to endure tough drills and some of the top soccer players’ workouts for agility and speed every day. Before we begin the showdown between the two champs, you can head over to Blazepod and see how you can improve your soccer skills.
Without any further ado, let’s find out how the two undisputed kings of soccer compare. We’ll start with Messi and then move towards Ronaldo, giving three arguments for both of them. You can be the judge of who has a stronger case.
Messi – Charismatic, Great Team Player, Better Stats
The supporters of Barcelona’s crown jewel give the following arguments to assert his dominance on the pitch and the podium.
The Messi Charisma
When it comes to the attitude and approach towards the game, these two titans of football couldn’t be more different. Ronaldo is an otherworldly man. He plays in an explosive style with extraordinary physical abilities and has everything except for the “Messi Charisma.”
Messi is probably the most talented Argentinian in any field of life and definitely the most gifted player to ever step on the pitch. His dribbling is just incredible, and he executes every single one of his moves with accuracy and precision the game has never seen before. Seeing this man penetrate the defense of the opposing team and put the ball behind the goalkeeper is mesmerizing.
Messi is a Better Team Player
Another thing that can be credited to Messi is that he is not only a high scorer and incredible player but he also puts in the effort to make others around him play better. He keeps his team together and guides them as a unit.
Evidence of his team play is the fact that he has given 88 assists more than Cristiano Ronaldo in his entire career. He also uses his impeccable vision of the game to coordinate the moves of his team. His game is characterized by extreme tactical intelligence, which he uses to identify and move into free spaces and receiving and laying off the ball at the correct time to build up attacks.
Stats Prove Messi is Ahead
There is no doubt that both Ronaldo and Messy have some of the most impressive stats of any football player in the world. However, with a careful analysis of Messi’s achievements, it can be seen that he makes better decisions and adds greater value to his team.
An interesting analysis about this was done by The Economist, where they rated the goals scored by Messi and Ronaldo according to their importance and context. The stat calculated by this technique is called Expected Points Added (EPA). It gives more weightage to the goals that add a win probability to the game. For example, a winning goal scored in the last minute of the game is worth more points than the fourth goal in a 4-0 game. The Economist’s calculations show that Messi has an EPA of 59.5, whereas Ronaldo stands at 50.4
Also, Messi has a better scoring average (0.81) in his career compared to Ronaldo’s (0.73). If we were to add goals and assists of both players, we could see that Messi has generated 1063 goals (748 goals + 315 assists) in 929 games, compared to Ronaldo’s 1010 goals (783 goals + 227 assists) in 1073 games. It means Messi has 53 goals more than Ronaldo, despite having played 144 matches less.
However, it doesn’t mean Ronaldo is short of the best soccer player title. Let’s now see what he has to offer to his supporters and to the sport.
Ronaldo – Global Sensation, Team Driver, Advanced Player
On the other side of the pitch, the supporters of the Portuguese football giant present the following arguments.
Global Achievements
The most potent argument in favor of Ronaldo is that he has an international career that gives him an edge. Messi has never won a single international Trophy. Ronaldo, on the other hand, brought the 2016 European Championship Trophy home. The only way Messi can surpass Ronaldo is by winning the 2022 Qatar event.
Drives His Team
Sure Messy has more titles than Ronaldo, but that is not because he is, strictly speaking, a better player than Ronaldo. He just has a better team than his Portuguese rival. Messy has played almost every single match of his career for the stronger team on the pitch. Most of the teammates Messi has in the Barcelona team have been playing together since they were 10. They know each other as well as the style and formation of their team very well.
However, this does not mean that Ronaldo does not have a good team. The thing that needs to be made clear is that while Messi adds a lot of value to his team, Ronaldo is the driving force behind his team.
An Advanced Player
Football has become more competitive, athletic, dynamic, and demanding than ever, and that’s where Ronaldo gets an edge. Messi might be more talented, but there are some things that you cannot acquire with any amount of practice and drills. Top of the list of those things is the muscular strength and size Ronaldo has. It is next to impossible to separate this 6’1” hulk from the ball.
While Messy might be mesmerizing to watch toying the ball on the pitch, seeing the strength and technique of Ronaldo and the way he shoots with either of his feet with strength and accuracy terrifies the competition. The combination of dizzying pace, powerful shooting and the jumping ability of an NBA star makes this massive man a threat for anyone on the pitch who doesn’t wear his jersey.
Considering that he exhibits the same (or even higher) level of physical fitness at an age more than Messy makes him even more formidable.
To Sum Up
While Messi is a better team player, has more decision-making power, and excels in skill and talent, Ronaldo is ahead in strength, has a formidable presence on the pitch, and has bagged more international achievements. They both are the undisputed kings of football, and choosing one over the other is just a matter of what you value the most in a player.
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