Ronaldo vs Messi: The ultimate eye test
There’s a new G.O.A.T in the headlines every week. One good game and the balance of power shifts. A couple of made-up statistics on a random Facebook page and the comments section is up in flames. Messi and Ronaldo might, one day, come together and call each other the best but fans will always hate even their best friends for not sharing their view of who the true G.O.A.T is. I could go on for hours writing about each one’s history. It’s so vast the exercise will be futile. However, their most recent game has a recurring theme, a historical trend worth pointing out.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Atletico Madrid for Juventus is one of his many outstanding performances in the Champions League. It is easy to lose count of the number of times he has single-handedly driven his team to where he wants them to be; champions.
Lionel Messi’s hat-trick against Real Betis and the absolute ease he did it with just goes to show there is never going to be a footballer like him. Barcelona, yet again, are seemingly close to lift another La Liga trophy, just like nature running its course.
Ronaldo has such a huge big-game appeal about him that he is an odd-maker’s worst nightmare. When Messi had four Ballon d’Ors, Ronaldo had one. It is at this point that Ronaldo found the user manual for ‘when to do what’ to be the best. Since then, there has been an element of timing about him. He may not be at his sharpest best all through the season but when the whole world is watching a crucial semi-final, he pops up. It is putting the ball in the back of the net that matters most for a team to lift a cup, and there is none better than Cristiano who can ensure this, even if he is not the most eye-catching player on the pitch. The mentality of sheer desire, hunger, toughness and obsession to be the best, that has in turn so deliberately resulted in the team’s success, is his measure of greatness; a true ‘Champion’ in every sense.
Messi is the master of all trades, be it goals, assists, chances created, dribbles or free-kicks. He heads the charts every season, even when he does not win the Ballon d’Or. He thrives on outrageous consistency. When he is not scoring, he is assisting and when he is not assisting, he is creating space. This results in Barcelona winning week-in, week-out. The fact that he puts out these numbers from every position he is played in, be it the main striker, second striker, false-nine, left-winger, number 10 or a deep-lying playmaker, makes him the most versatile yet. All this, while being an eye-candy on the pitch for all footballing reasons. The fact that an athlete can be the most consistent, versatile and eye-catching, all at the same time, over the full course of the season and a whole decade, is his measure of greatness; a true ‘Magician’ in every sense.
Cristiano Ronaldo is a person with confidence, grit and incredible determination. Only he could tell the media beforehand that he would score a hat-trick and do it. He takes everything personally and this keeps the flame alive. “Your love makes me strong; your hate makes me unstoppable”.
His awareness of himself and what he needed to do, to be the best, is quite stunning. One is to be aware, but entirely another to put into practice. His decision of moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid showed his intent to redefine his grasp. Being at ‘one of the best clubs in world football’ did not satisfy him. He wanted to be at ‘the best club’ in world football. He changed his game from being a show-boater on the wing to a fox in the box and sat out league fixtures in favour of the UCL, reiterating that he knew how to put himself up for Ballon d’Or contention each and every year.
“They said I was too skinny as a young boy but with hard work and dedication, I reached the top”. The way he has managed his body, with an ultra-low fat percentage and a chiselled frame, has preserved a fountain of youth within. His practice includes taking training seriously, eating right even on holidays and being back in the gym hours after a cup final victory. When a 34-year old outpaces and outclasses 24-year olds on a weekly basis, it is years of hard work coming to fruition.
His work ethic seems to suggest that regardless of what Cristiano did in life, football or not, he was going to be the best. He would never settle for second and this is the sole reason he has fought back onto a level playing ground against Leo.
Lionel Messi is seldom spoken about in a non-football capacity. He does not lead an exuberant lifestyle, has not dated celebrities, does not walk the ramp in Milanese fashion shows and is not seen campaigning excessively for a watch brand. He knows only one thing; football. Never has his style been altered or technique deliberately developed, evident from his La Masia days. This shows that he kicking a football was meant to be; an act of God in many ways.
Messi can score from outside the box, inside the box, singlehandedly, with quick exchange of passes, with his first touch, after ten touches, through free-kicks far and near, from the wing, middle of the park, from overhead kicks, headers, left-foot, right-foot, by leaving defenders on the ground, goalkeepers perplexed, beating the same man thrice, running the length of the pitch, through lobs, chips, scoops or tap-ins. He continues to score world class goals every year in every stated category.
His vision is second to none, on and off the ball. He knows exactly where he, the opponents and his team mates are. Movements and passes are timed to perfection, rarely caught offside. His through balls, switch of play to the wings, sudden bursts of acceleration, and quick changes of direction are all so niche level that even teammates, let alone the opposition, find it tough to cope.
“Messi doesn’t dive, Messi doesn’t cheat”. Shrugging off tackles, shirt-tugs, pulls, punches and elbows, he knows only one direction, to go towards goal, never down to the ground. He teaches silent lessons of commitment, ambition, fair play and persistence to those who want to learn.
Ronaldo and Messi are in the same bracket when spoken of the greatest but are in their own leagues when spoken about their individual traits. No one can be as mentally tough as Ronaldo, the most complete athlete, with mental prowess superseding talent with the ball. With Messi, there has never been and will never be another as decorated, in terms of pure footballing attributes, to ever play the game. Who is the best player of this generation? Take your pick. Just like the difference in manner of impacts the two have had and how they cannot be compared for similar benchmarks, they also have dissimilar paths to Ballon d’Or and international success.
For a truly intellectual discussion, particularly due to the changing pre-requisites for winning the coveted prize, Ballon d’Or cannot be a bone of contention, although the two are tied.
Fans also debate about the success enjoyed with national teams. Messi was blessed with a superior squad but endured severe bad luck, Ronaldo the opposite. Argentina lost four finals, World Cup 2014 and three Copa America in 2007, ’15 and ’16 while Portugal won the Euro 2016, their only finals.
Messi was the Player of the Tournament in the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America despite being on the losing side, whereas Ronaldo lifted the Euro trophy despite scoring only on two separate occasions in seven games.
Messi missed a decisive penalty in the 2016 Copa America while Ronaldo displayed incredible leadership from the touchline in the Euro finals against France, despite not playing a part on the pitch. Messi’s sabbaticals from the national side have led to his desire and ambition questioned, though unfair criticism from his own country is a situation we’d never ever see Ronaldo endure. On the mental toughness front, though, one has the edge over the other.
If there was a war to fight, in a do or die situation, in a must-win match where lifting the trophy is the only order of the day, I would have Ronaldo by my side ahead of Messi. On the business end of things, Ronaldo is the highest standard. He gets it done, plain and simple. As a fan that thrives on watching the match and enjoying football, to be mesmerised and entertained, I would not trade Messi for anything in this world. In a league scenario and over the course of a full season, Messi is a better contributor to the team.
Overall, I would choose Messi and of course I say this with little bias and more of personal choice. About 85% of my YouTube history makes up Lionel Messi. He makes me escape life. He makes me dream of absolute happiness. He makes me appreciate beauty in its richest and rawest form. Be it the one-touch passing with Iniesta and Xavi, the link-up play with Suarez and Neymar or the telepathic understanding with Alba and Alves, invaluable moments of smiles and epiphany fill my memory. Personally, I am a fan who prefers watching a football match to enjoy it during the 90 minutes. A trophy at the end of it is a bonus. Success is secondary for me. Happiness is number one and there’s only one person who can make me stay up till 3am to watch a match, regardless of whether it is against Real Betis or Real Madrid, and that person is Lionel Messi. I also feel that it is Ronaldo who has always been compared to Messi and not the other way round, if it makes any sense. However, I am just happy to be in this era of extreme competition.
Ronaldo would have been the best in whichever path he’d have chosen in life. Football just happened to be a reason for him to make a name. With Messi, I doubt he was meant for anything other than football. However, both are true greats and picking one over the other is purely a matter of preference. One thing is for sure though; no one can disrespect Cristiano Ronaldo and no one can hate Lionel Messi There is no point in trying to make your friend aligned with your narrow perspective; it just will not happen, especially with the use of statistics, something the two gentlemen in question are beyond. “Lies, damned lies and statistics”.
