I'm tired of this debate. It really shouldn't even be one. It is time to put it to rest.
1.) Objectivity - Get your feelings and opinions out of here. Facts are irrefutable and can't lie.
2.) Level Playing Field - Both players deserve the best chance to show what they got.
To determine which player is better, I decided to examine the majority of their club careers starting when Ronaldo made his transfer to La Liga, July 1st 2009. Comparing statistics between the English Premiere League and La Liga simply would not transcend equitably. However we will venture beyond this time frame to determine superiority at the international stage.
Messi - 2 Total Goals - 115 Total Assists - 43
Ronaldo - 1 Goals - 3 Assists - 0
Messi - 1 Goals - 0 Assists - 0
Messi - 3 Goals - 4 Assists - 2
Summary: Messi has 26 more goals, 19 more assists, and 7 of the possible 9 Trophies.
Argentina FIFA World Ranking average: 5.434
2008 Olympics
Messi scored 2 goals, 2 assists
Argentina won the Gold Medal
2006 FIFA World Cup
Ronaldo-
Scored 1 goal (penalty kick) vs. Iran
Converted kick from the mark vs. England
Portugal lost to France 1-0 in the Semi-final game
Messi-
Scored 1 goal vs. Serbia and Montenegro
Argentina lost to Germany in a Quarter-final shoot-out
2007 Copa America
Messi scored 2 goals
Argentina finished 2nd
2008 Euro Cup
Ronaldo scored 1 goal
Portugal lost in the Quarter-finals
2010 World Cup
Ronaldo- Group G
Group G average FIFA World Ranking - 44 (1 being toughest)
1 goal, 1 assist vs. North Korea
Portugal lost to Spain in the Round of 16
Messi- Group H
Group H average FIFA World Ranking - 27 ( 1 being toughest)
0 goals, 4 assists vs. South Korea, Greece, Mexico
Argentina lost to Germany in the Quarter-Final
2011 Copa America
Messi did not score
Assisted 3 of the 5 Argentina goals
Converted kick from the mark vs. Uruguay
Argentina lost to eventual winners Uruguay
Euro Cup 2012
Ronaldo scored 3 of 6 goals for Portugal
0 assists
Portugal lost to eventual winners Spain
Major Tournaments
Ronaldo - 7 goals, 1 assist
Messi - 5 goals, 14 assists
Overall International Goals/Games Ratio:
Ronaldo - 40/104 = 0.38 goals per game
Messi - 43/94 = 0.46 goals per game
Individual Accolades
European Golden Boy:
Ronaldo - 0
Messi - 2005
World Young Player of the Year:
Ronaldo - 0
Messi - 2006, 2007, 2008
LFP Best Player:
Ronaldo - 2012
Messi - 2009, 2010, 2011
LFP Best Forward:
Ronaldo - 0
Messi - 2009, 2011
Pichichi Award:
Ronaldo - 2011 (EPL Golden Boot 2008)
Messi - 2010, 2012
European Golden Shoe:
Ronaldo - 2008, 2011
Messi - 2010, 2012
La Liga Foreign Player of the Year:
Ronaldo - 0
Messi - 2007, 2009, 2010
UEFA Champions League Top Scorer:
Ronaldo - 2008
Messi - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Ronaldo has 38 goals in 83 Champions League games = 0.47 goals per game
Messi has 51 goals in 68 Champions League games = 0.75 goals per game
Including the winner in the 2011 final vs. Manchester United
UEFA Best Player in Europe:
Ronaldo - 0
Messi - 2011
FIFA Player of the Year / Ballon d'Or
(Votes/points come from Managers & Captains of International Squads as well as selected journalists.)
2008
Ronaldo beat Messi by 257 points
2009
Messi best Ronaldo by 721 points
2010
Messi won the award, Ronaldo got 6th with > 4% of the votes
2011
Messi won the award with 47.88% votes, Ronaldo 2nd with 21.6% votes. (He didn't show up)
Summary: Messi has won 24 of the possible 31 awards.
The Objective Verdict
Lionel Messi is superior to Cristiano Ronaldo.
In an unbiased, statistical breakdown of both of their careers, the race isn't even close. Messi scores more goals and has more assists than Ronaldo for both Club and Country. He has 17
more prestigious awards, and 8
more trophies and yet is 2+ years younger.
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| Sorry buddy... |
Subjective Arguments
(Because I can already hear your complaints...)
Myth No. 1: "Ronaldo does more for Portugal, Messi hasn't done anything for Argentina!"
-
Niether have lifted Silverware in any major tournament for their country. Ronaldo has been criticized numerous times for petulantly getting frustrated and impatient with his team mates. He is known to throw fits when those around him make mistakes. He has left the pitch without thanking the fans or shaking hands with his opponents. All this while being Portugal's Captain.
Ronaldo has played in the exact same position for Portugal as he does now for Real Madrid and previously for Manchester United. Messi on the other hand is able to change roles for Argentina. At Barcelona he plays as a central striker flanked by two wingers. For Argentina however he usually plays on the wing while Tevez, Higuain, Aguero, etc. play up front. Occasionally he will also play as an attacking midfielder as a playmaker behind any formation of strikers. The 3 strikers mentioned can't play any other position, and neither can Ronaldo, while Messi can adapt and help Argentina in more way than one. This supports the decrease in goal production (which is still higher than CR7) while maintaining a comparable assists per game ratio, roughly, to what he gets for Barcelona.
How can Ronaldo be doing more for his country is he scores less goals, registers less assists, and can only play in 1 position?
Myth No. 2: "Ronaldo is a more complete player; taller, faster, stronger, etc. He can score with more than just his left foot"
- Your subjective definition of "complete" has nothing to do with the objective definition of "results." He
might be able to bench press more, he
might be able to jump higher, and he
might beat Messi in a 100 yard dash, but this isn't the Olympics. Messi scores more goals with his 1 foot than Ronaldo with 2 and his head. Great athletes use what they have been given. When you realize his step overs are getting him nowhere, then we can agree that flare doesn't equal production.
It must be noted that Lionel suffers from Growth Hormone Deficiency, which no longer makes the playing field level, yet he still out-performs Cristiano.
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| Who's taller again? |
Myth No. 3: "Ronaldo is more entertaining, his goals are cooler. Messi is predictable"
-If this is really your rationale, then the Harlem Globe Trotters are the best basketball team on earth. Goals are goals. If Messi is so predictable, why haven't the defenders across the world figured him out? If you are still not convinced, please read my "Parable of the Boxer" under the
Pele vs. Messi post.
Notice how Nani totally predicts what will happen next. This is Champions League Final mind you.
Myth No. 4: "Ronaldo is better than Messi
right now because he won La Liga"
-Ricardo Carvalho also won La Liga, does that make him better than Messi? So did Fabio Coentrao, and Raul Albiol, and Alvaro Arbeloa, are they too the best players in the world?
Winning La Liga happens
every single year, no 1 person is responsible, it is a team award and is therefore divided among the team. What isn't a team award, and what doesn't happen every single year, is Messi setting the world record for most goals scored in Europe in 1 year. If you think that Ronaldo is better based on this statistic alone, then you believe
destroying the single season goal record that has been around for years is easier than winning La Liga (team award) with the current Madrid squad. That's just plain silly.
Myth No. 5: "Messi plays with Iniesta and Xavi. They do all the work and set him up to score."
Who assisted this goal?
Here are the Assist Leaders from the past 3 years (No Messi or Ronaldo stats included):
- 2009/10
Barcelona: Xavi (14) Alves (10) Ibrahimovic (7) Iniesta (5) = 36
Real Madrid: Guti (9) Marcelo (9) Van der Vaart (7) Kaka (7) Alonso (5) = 37
Real Madrid +1
-2010/11
Barcelona: Alves (15) Xavi (7) Pedro (7)
NO INIESTA = 29
Real Madrid: Ozil (17) Di Maria (11) Alonso (6) Higuain (6) = 40
Real Madrid +11
-2011/12
Barcelona: Alves (11) Iniesta (9) Fabregas (8)
NO XAVI = 28 (THE YEAR MESSI SCORED 50)
Real Madrid: Ozil (17) Di Maria (15) Alonso (9) Xavi (7) Kaka (7) Benzema (7) Kaka (7) = 69
Real Madrid +41
The numbers speak very loudly for themselves.
Myth No. 6: "Ronaldo has the 'clutch gene.' He scores more goals in high pressure situations."
-Let's look at the most recent tournaments for each player:
2012 Euro - Ronaldo chose to go last in a shoot out. Never got to shoot.
2011 Copa America - Messi shot first and converted.
Ronaldo doesn't understand "high pressure."
He wanted to
create it by shooting 5th, Messi wanted to
diffuse it by scoring 1st.
He is obsessed with the spotlight that comes with "saving the day."
Not only have we seen him blast shots from outrageous angles and ambitions distances, but he does so while "inferior" teammates are in better position.
Even more statistics to prove Messi scores in bigger games versus tougher opponents..........
Here are the results of each player against teams 3,4,5 from the past 3 seasons in La Liga:
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| Ronaldo AND Casillas? Wow... |
Here are the results of each player during Champions League games from 2009-2012:
Here are the results of each player versus International Squads ranked in FIFA's top 20 since 2008.
The Game Winner for Ronaldo was vs:
Czech Republic
The Game Winners for Messi were vs:
Mexico, Brazil, Brazil, Germany, Chile, Switzerland, and PORTUGAL
That's right. On February 9th, 2011 Argentina beat Portugal 2-1 in Europe. Messi scored in the 89th.
A list of some of Messi's World Records:
Dear Ronaldo Lovers,
It's been a long day for you. Let's recap...
-CR7 has a better supporting cast at Real Madrid
-He is bigger, faster, and stronger
-He is coached by Jose Mourinho
-He gets paid more
-He doesn't have Human Growth Hormone Deficiency
So how can someone who
doesn't have all this, still put up better results for both Club and Country???
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| "But I'm still the coolest!" |
Ask yourself, "What are my criterion for 'best player in the world?'"
-Wins?
-Goals?
-Assists?
-Trophies?
-Titles?
-Game Winners?
-Performs under high pressure?
Lionel Messi leads in all categories. Ronaldo has no relevant statistic that overcomes La Pulga's dominance. Surrender your pride. You're arguments have been exhausted. He will forever be in Messi's 5'7" shadow.
My purpose isn't to get you to like Messi and dislike Ronaldo. You can love or hate whoever as much as you want. That is not what this is about. This is about facts and respecting the best in the world by setting aside opinions and recognizing who he is.
Your opinions are a byproduct of today's Sports Journalism. All the articles you read online and commentators you hear during games are trying to keep this debate open. The Media needs a juicy rivalry to keep you reading and watching, so they constantly attempt to keep this race close when in reality Lionel Messi is
overwhelmingly the best in the world.
Final thoughts-
Now that we can let the dust settle and see the truth, let's enjoy the Golden Age of Football we live in. There has never been 2 such dominant players that have simultaneously hit their prime in all the history of all the world. We won't see anything like this for the rest of our lives, and our children will be jealous of the fact that we got to watch El Clasico's that featured Ronaldo v Messi.
*Be advised; This is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi only. Don't bring up Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Ronaldo, or anyone else.
References:
Google Images
ESPNFC
FIFA
Wikipedia
Shane Haas!
