Who is better Messi or Ronaldo? has always been a controversial topic in the football world, and perhaps there will never be a satisfactory answer. Over the past decade, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have become living legends, each with their own unique playing style, and created unforgettable milestones in their careers. Both are the top scorers for their national teams, and have won countless individual titles. Messi, with his magical playing style and skillful technique, while Ronaldo stands out with his physical strength and ability to constantly improve. However, with their current ages of 39 and 36, the question remains: Who among them really deserves to be called “the best player of all time”? Or can they be compared fairly? Let’s analyze with Bestsoccertips.com and find the answer to this controversial question.
Cristiano Ronaldo Career Summary
His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, commonly known by his nickname CR7, and he is a Portuguese born on February 5, 1985.
Ronaldo officially began his football career at Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), going through the U15, U17 and U19 teams. His impressive performance for Sporting Lisbon – especially in the 3:1 win over the famous Manchester United before the new season – made Manchester United decide to recruit him in August 2003 for a transfer fee of 19 million euros.
At Manchester United, Ronaldo established himself as one of the best players in the world, winning 3 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups, and many other titles. In the MU shirt, the young man at that time impressed fans around the world with his all-round playing style, stable ball handling skills, good dribbling ability, scoring and assisting regularly.
The impressive form brought Ronaldo many individual titles, the pinnacle of which was the 2008 Ballon d’Or, an award that was meaningful in consolidating his number one position in football. Since then, Ronaldo has never slowed down but has continued to flourish, setting a world record for transfer value when joining Real Madrid in 2009 and continuing to affirm himself as one of the greatest players in the history of world football.
CR7 then moved to Juventus and has now returned to Manchester United. He is also the captain of the Portuguese national team and has won 2 international titles, the Euro and the Nations League.
Lionel Messi Career Summary
His full name is Lionel Andres Messi, born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina.
Lionel Messi began his football career in 1994 at Newell’s Old Boys before moving to Barcelona’s academy in 2000, at the age of 13. His natural talent for football saw him promoted to the club’s youth teams, and after just 3 years he made his debut in a friendly against FC Porto on November 16, 2003 at the age of 16.
But Messi’s first official match was almost a year later, in an away derby against Espanyol on October 16, 2004.
Since then Messi has progressed steadily for Barcelona, scoring his first goal in 2005 and gradually establishing himself as one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning six Ballons d’Or, 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies, and many other titles.
Messi has recently moved to Paris Saint-Germain and is the captain of the Argentina national team.
Who is better Messi or Ronaldo?
Statistics and comparison of goals and titles of Messi and Ronaldo
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both have impressive achievements, but each has made his mark in different ways. Messi, who currently plays for Lien Miami, has made 189 appearances for the Argentina national team, scoring 112 goals and winning 4 international awards. Meanwhile, at the club level, Messi has made 891 appearances and scored 737 goals, winning 39 club titles, along with 8 Ballons d’Or in his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr, has made 216 appearances for the Portugal national team and scored 133 goals, winning 2 international awards. He has played 1033 times for the club, scoring 775 goals and winning 33 club titles, along with 5 Ballons d’Or. Although Messi is superior in terms of the number of Ballon d’Or wins, Ronaldo leads in terms of total goals, especially international goals.
Early struggles and young career
As a young boy born and raised in central Argentina, Messi faced a major challenge in his life: a growth hormone deficiency. However, after moving to Spain and joining Barcelona at the age of 13, the club agreed to fund his treatment. Since then, Messi has never looked back, from making his professional debut at 17 to winning his first Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year at 22, the Argentine quickly became the center of attention in world football.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, born in the Madeira Islands to a poor family, struggled with everyday life. At the age of 15, he was diagnosed with a heart condition called tachycardia, but after a successful surgery, Ronaldo continued his career path. He joined Sporting CP and then moved to Manchester United in 2003 at the age of 18. Here, Ronaldo helped the team win three consecutive Premier League titles and won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year at the age of 23.
In the competition between who is better at penalties Ronaldo or Messi, Messi has won a record 8 Ballon d’Or awards so far, while Ronaldo has won 5. Although both have impressive and different achievements in their careers, this achievement remains one of the most important markers in the debate about who is the greatest player.
Who is better ronaldo or messi? Playing style
Messi and Ronaldo differ mainly in their playing style. The Argentine is a master, an artist with the ball, possessing excellent dribbling techniques and the ability to create unpredictable moves. His short stature and low center of gravity help Messi easily change direction and accelerate, making it difficult for defenders to keep up with him. Messi’s passing and finishing abilities are also strengths that cannot be ignored, demonstrating the perfection in his playing style.
On the contrary, Ronaldo brings a different style of play. Although he does not have the same magic as Messi, with his superior height, strength and physique, Ronaldo brings a powerful and fast style. Every time he is on the pitch, the match becomes faster, stronger and more energetic. The combination of physicality and technique gives Ronaldo a distinct advantage, making him considered one of the greatest players of all time.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Talent vs Hard Work
One of the big debates when comparing these two legends is the difference between Messi’s ‘Talent’ and Ronaldo’s ‘Hard Work’. Ronaldo, in the early days of his career, was a rather skinny boy, but thanks to his hard work and determination, he showed the world the incredible transformation that a player can achieve. Today, the Portuguese player is considered one of the fittest athletes in the world.
Meanwhile, Messi’s physical attributes, such as his ability to run fast, take aerial duels and rarely go out of bounds, make him an ideal model in the eyes of many. Initially, Messi was not a free kick specialist, but over the years of practice, he has become one of the best players in the world in both free kicks and assists.
Who is a better footballer Messi or Ronaldo? In general, no talent exists without hard work, and no hard work without talent. It is the perfect combination of dedication, commitment and innate talent that makes great players, and it is this that makes Messi and Ronaldo stand out from the rest, cementing their status as the greatest football legends of all time.
Conclusion
Ending the debate between who is better Messi or Ronaldo is not easy, because in reality, there is no need to compare. We should feel lucky to live in an era where two of the greatest players in the world are competing fiercely. Their individual and collective success, along with their different playing styles, is what makes them great. Both Messi and Ronaldo are extraordinary talents, bringing unforgettable moments to football fans around the world.
See also: When did Messi join inter Miami and how much was the contract worth?
