Is Cristiano Ronaldo the GOAT?

[Geordie Ahmed]

The Euros is also classified as an international tournament LOL and he won that, it actually has proper international teams and not like the copa full of part timing sheppards and Messi keeps winning those. Speaking of the WC's what has Messi done that compares to a hattrick vs Spain LOL he is mentally stronger then Messi and handles pressure better that's just a fact

You can't pass your opinion off as fact

Are you forgetting the hat-trick Messi scored to get Argentina to this World Cup? Far more pressure than the opening game of a World Cup.

I love how you dismissed the South American teams as part time shepherds.

As for the Euro's, I agree it is a legitimate International competition BUT the win for Portugal was arguably the worst Euro win going (certainly from the one's I can remember). They finished 3rd in a group containing Hungary, Iceland and Austria. Portugal only won 1 game in normal time in the entire tournament. And as we know Ronaldo went off injured after 25 minutes so he played no part in that specific win.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Nevermind picking a player who is not even close to being a legend, he is not even playing them in their respective positions.

Well yeah having players in their wrong position is obviously a fail BUT wanted to highlight Boateng as he shouldn't be anywhere near in the first place.

 

[Mamoon]

You can't pass your opinion off as fact

Are you forgetting the hat-trick Messi scored to get Argentina to this World Cup? Far more pressure than the opening game of a World Cup.

I love how you dismissed the South American teams as part time shepherds.

As for the Euro's, I agree it is a legitimate International competition BUT the win for Portugal was arguably the worst Euro win going (certainly from the one's I can remember). They finished 3rd in a group containing Hungary, Iceland and Austria. Portugal only won 1 game in normal time in the entire tournament. And as we know Ronaldo went off injured after 25 minutes so he played no part in that specific win.

People don’t realize how poor this Argentinean side is without Messi. It is laughable to suggest that Ronaldo would have won two World Cups with this team.

They just look at their forward line and assume that it is an elite team.

The current Brazil would blow Argentina away without Messi.

 

[DeadBall]

I'm a Messi fan and consider him to be the best player BUT this is simply not true, there is clearly a skill to taking penalties.

It's bizarre that Messi is an amazing finisher however when it comes to penalties he hasn't nailed the art.

There is a clearly a skill to taking penalties but there is also a lot of chance that the keeper will dive in the right direction. However Messi's penalty was very bad yesterday, neither grounded nor aiming for the upper 90 degree or just using brute force, was almost bang middle.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

There is a clearly a skill to taking penalties but there is also a lot of chance that the keeper will dive in the right direction. However Messi's penalty was very bad yesterday, neither grounded nor aiming for the upper 90 degree or just using brute force, was almost bang middle.

The best penalty takers will take the keeper out of the equation so that even if they go the right direction the power/placement is too much. Matt Let Tissier and Shearer being the best examples of that.

Looking at the stats I thought the difference would be much bigger BUT Ronaldo has a penalty success rate of 84.55% whilst Messi is 76.69%

 

[Hasan123]

The Euros is also classified as an international tournament LOL and he won that, it actually has proper international teams and not like the copa full of part timing sheppards and Messi keeps winning those. Speaking of the WC's what has Messi done that compares to a hattrick vs Spain LOL he is mentally stronger then Messi and handles pressure better that's just a fact

I'm not trying to defend Messi performances in international tournaments. Just don't make out as though Ronaldo is some clutch player for Portugal. Even at the last euros he didn't play amazing.

WC is where the best team plays. Don't try to devalue it .

 

[shaz619]

I'm not trying to defend Messi performances in international tournaments. Just don't make out as though Ronaldo is some clutch player for Portugal. Even at the last euros he didn't play amazing.

WC is where the best team plays. Don't try to devalue it .

That's your view but Ronaldo has a better international record then Messi's, that is something which can't be denied. On top of this Messi has been cushioned by Argentina's golden generation still not performing what is expected.

He is a clutch footballer overall; he doesn't have the best support from Portugal but the fact that he is so important to their fortunes prove he is clutch, he did well to come back from behind vs Hungary and scored a key goal in that semi final during the Euro triumph and his aura positively benefits the team, the hattrick v Spain further reinforces this; how far they progress depends on Ronaldo.

Messi is a good footballer who is very protected but he never gets as much criticism as Ronaldo and the moments he does deliver gets praised for months when Ronaldo is a lot more consistent.

Where have I devalued the WC ?

 

[Mamoon]

That's your view but Ronaldo has a better international record then Messi's, that is something which can't be denied. On top of this Messi has been cushioned by Argentina's golden generation still not performing what is expected.

He is a clutch footballer overall; he doesn't have the best support from Portugal but the fact that he is so important to their fortunes prove he is clutch, he did well to come back from behind vs Hungary and scored a key goal in that semi final during the Euro triumph and his aura positively benefits the team, the hattrick v Spain further reinforces this; how far they progress depends on Ronaldo.

Messi is a good footballer who is very protected but he never gets as much criticism as Ronaldo and the moments he does deliver gets praised for months when Ronaldo is a lot more consistent.

Where have I devalued the WC ?

A “golden generation” with no defense and midfield.

If this is their golden generation, I wonder how bad some of their worst teams have been. Maradona’s Argentina was comfortably better than this Argentina.

 

[shaz619]

A “golden generation” with no defense and midfield.

If this is their golden generation, I wonder how bad some of their worst teams have been. Maradona’s Argentina was comfortably better than this Argentina.

I was reffering to the 2014 team and is the current one that bad that they can't even beat Iceland ? Argentina is compatibly better then Portugal, don't let their form decieve you

 

[shaz619]

Messi is arguably the most gifted footballer in history, but he just lacks heart , a work ethic and mental toughness; I know [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] you have stated many times you don't value those qualities but they do make a huge difference when you're up against others in a similar field

 

[Kroll]

Ronaldo is slowly but surely creeping up on Ali Daei's record for the most number of international goals. Daei's on 109 and CR7 now has 84 and counting. No disrespect to Daei's achievements who was slamming them in against the likes of Nepal, Oman, Sri Lanka etc but what a feat that would be if Ronaldo manages to surpass that record.

 

[Mamoon]

I was reffering to the 2014 team and is the current one that bad that they can't even beat Iceland ? Argentina is compatibly better then Portugal, don't let their form decieve you

That 2014 team was average without Messi. He was the player of the tournament and dragged them to the final, even though he had to drop deep and link the midfield and attack because Argentina didn’t have another creative outlet.

People overestimate Argentina because of their forward line. Yes it look amazing on paper, but it is a dysfunctional team because it lacks balance and chemistry.

Ronaldo wouldn’t have won the World Cup with Argentina side. Considering how average he was in that World Cup, I doubt if he would have taken Argentina to the final.

 

[Hasan123]

That's your view but Ronaldo has a better international record then Messi's, that is something which can't be denied. On top of this Messi has been cushioned by Argentina's golden generation still not performing what is expected.

He is a clutch footballer overall; he doesn't have the best support from Portugal but the fact that he is so important to their fortunes prove he is clutch, he did well to come back from behind vs Hungary and scored a key goal in that semi final during the Euro triumph and his aura positively benefits the team, the hattrick v Spain further reinforces this; how far they progress depends on Ronaldo.

Messi is a good footballer who is very protected but he never gets as much criticism as Ronaldo and the moments he does deliver gets praised for months when Ronaldo is a lot more consistent.

Where have I devalued the WC ?

It's not a golden generation for Argentina as Mamoon has mentioned. They are awful defensively .

So Ronaldo doesn't have the best support so he is allowed to get away with rubbish performances but not the same rules apply to Messi. Scoring against Hungary means he had a good tournament?

Argentina also depend on Messi. Yesterday their tactic was pass the ball to Messi and hope for the best. Furthmore it was Messi performances in the last few qualifications matches that got them to the World Cup.

Messi gets plenty of critiscm . Stop making Ronaldo to be a victim. All I have seen on social media is people making fun of Messi. You only see what suits your agenda. Both players are always unfairly critizced in my honest opinion.

 

[Mamoon]

Messi is arguably the most gifted footballer in history, but he just lacks heart , a work ethic and mental toughness; I know [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] you have stated many times you don't value those qualities but they do make a huge difference when you're up against others in a similar field

You cannot stay at the top of world football for 10 years and on without having heart, work ethic and mental toughness. Both Messi and Ronaldo have these qualities in abundance.

Their capacity of keep themselves fit and motivated year in year out and deliver again and again is miraculous. They are expected to deliver a stellar performances every time they walk onto the pitch, but they deliver more often than any other player.

Look at Ronaldinho, he was the king of football from 2003 to 2006, but that was it - he was finished in what should have been the prime of his career, and he clearly lacked the qualities that you are accusing Messi of not possessing.

Also, people don’t realize that Messi has hens dragging a Barcelona team that is nothing special without him. People talk about Xavi and Iniesta, but it is not 2008-2012 anymore. Xavi is gone and Iniesta hasn’t been the same player.

Messi single-handedly won them the league this season, and he is the reason why Ronaldo has only two league titles in 9 years in Madrid, and the only time they faced each other in the Champions League, Messi destroyed him in his own stadium, completely outclassing him, which takes heart and guts.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Messi is arguably the most gifted footballer in history, but he just lacks heart , a work ethic and mental toughness; I know [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] you have stated many times you don't value those qualities but they do make a huge difference when you're up against others in a similar field

The reality is both are great players, all time greats and then people can debate who is better. I've always maintained Messi is better, I prefer his style of play and nothing will change that BUT I won't go to the extreme of devaluing what Ronaldo has achieved, it's nothing short of phenomenal.

I mean a guy who had health problems as a kid, had to move abroad at 13 without his mother, has scored over 500 goals and has won numerous trophies apparently lacks a heart and work ethic ������

 

[shaz619]

It's not a golden generation for Argentina as Mamoon has mentioned. They are awful defensively .

So Ronaldo doesn't have the best support so he is allowed to get away with rubbish performances but not the same rules apply to Messi. Scoring against Hungary means he had a good tournament?

Argentina also depend on Messi. Yesterday their tactic was pass the ball to Messi and hope for the best. Furthmore it was Messi performances in the last few qualifications matches that got them to the World Cup.

Messi gets plenty of critiscm . Stop making Ronaldo to be a victim. All I have seen on social media is people making fun of Messi. You only see what suits your agenda. Both players are always unfairly critizced in my honest opinion.

It was a golden gen in 2014 and they are compatibly better then Portugal as it stands, stop making excuses for the alleged GOAT.

Messi has better support then Ronaldo so there's a difference because the same rules do not apply but you are making out as if he has been shockingly awful at the international level when that is not true at all.

So let me get this straight, Ronaldo is being criticised for scoring goals against Hungary yet we overlook how awful Messi was vs Iceland, and that wasn't the only game CR7 did well he scored in the semi final of the EURO as well, how can we say he had a bad tournament; plus the EURO is of a higher calibre then any international tournament outside the WC. As it stands he did fine in the EURO his role was very important and now he has this performance vs the mighty spain on his resume to. All we see here is Ronaldo's prowess being nitpicked while Messis no shows are sugar coated, credit where due for the qualifiers but is that something to seriously boast especially a player of his standing?

 

[shaz619]

You cannot stay at the top of world football for 10 years and on without having heart, work ethic and mental toughness. Both Messi and Ronaldo have these qualities in abundance.

Their capacity of keep themselves fit and motivated year in year out and deliver again and again is miraculous. They are expected to deliver a stellar performances every time they walk onto the pitch, but they deliver more often than any other player.

Look at Ronaldinho, he was the king of football from 2003 to 2006, but that was it - he was finished in what should have been the prime of his career, and he clearly lacked the qualities that you are accusing Messi of not possessing.

Also, people don’t realize that Messi has hens dragging a Barcelona team that is nothing special without him. People talk about Xavi and Iniesta, but it is not 2008-2012 anymore. Xavi is gone and Iniesta hasn’t been the same player.

Messi single-handedly won them the league this season, and he is the reason why Ronaldo has only two league titles in 9 years in Madrid, and the only time they faced each other in the Champions League, Messi destroyed him in his own stadium, completely outclassing him, which takes heart and guts.

La Liga is inferior to the EPL and Ronaldo has 3 of them, Messi has remained in his comfort zone for so long and one can can't be soley attributed for 9 years of dominance that's not to say that he hasn't outperformed Ronaldo in that league because he has and deserves credit, however such league games do not have as much pressure of a KO stage or international platform consistently which explains why Ronaldo has a better champions league and international record in comparison, otherwise for instance how else can you explain the howlers vs Iceland and Germany in 2014 ? He is always talking about retiring from internationals to and he's only in his 20s !

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

La Liga is inferior to the EPL and Ronaldo has 3 of them, Messi has remained in his comfort zone for so long and one can can't be soley attributed for 9 years of dominance that's not to say that he hasn't outperformed Ronaldo in that league because he has and deserves credit, however such league games do not have as much pressure of a KO stage or international platform consistently which explains why Ronaldo has a better champions league and international record in comparison, otherwise for instance how else can you explain the howlers vs Iceland and Germany in 2014 ? He is always talking about retiring from internationals to and he's only in his 20s !

Always talking about retiring? He "retired" once and it was clear that it was a knee jerk reaction that he was going to quickly overturn

Also you say La Liga is inferior to the Premier League, in terms of the standards you couldn't be more wrong BUT in terms of the competitiveness at the top perhaps that is the case. That aside regardless of your opinions on that if La Liga is so inferior as you suggest what's stopping Ronaldo from winning lots of it? He only has 2 in 9 years. In the same time period Messi has 6.

Overall when it comes to League and Champions League Messi has 13 in total whilst Ronaldo has 10, plus he has the added benefit of a European Championship to his name. There isn't a great deal between them, if you add other cups (FA Cup, Copa Del Rey, League Cup, Supercup etc) then Messi is ahead of him.

The reality is when it comes to honours there isn't a great deal that separates them BUT because Messi missed a penalty yesterday people are rewriting his career as if it's been a failure.

 

[Mueez]

Messi is arguably the most gifted footballer in history, but he just lacks heart , a work ethic and mental toughness; I know [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] you have stated many times you don't value those qualities but they do make a huge difference when you're up against others in a similar field

This post sums it up for me.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

This post sums it up for me.

Since he won't answer it and you seem to agree with it, can you answer the following then



How does a guy who had health problems as a kid, had to move abroad at 13 without his mother, has scored over 500 goals and has won numerous trophies (more trophies than Ronaldo for what it's worth) lack a heart and work ethic?

 

[shaz619]

This post sums it up for me.

Exactly mate, those who are not exactly the sharpest tools in the box will write up a sob story to hide footballing failures at the international level though. Was just watching a program on the BBC, Fabio Capello said that at the international level the national shirt / high pressure environment makes people do things which can't be explained, but one of those explanations can be mental weakness which explains the botches during copa, vs Iceland and during 2014 WC.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Mental weakness such as choking against Spain in Euro 2012? Anyone can be selective to try and prove a point.

It's far more sensible to be balanced.

 

[yasir]

R9 was a special player but he also played in one hell of a team and he did the job and I also rate him ahead of CR7, Messi despite playing in one of argentina's golden generations failed to win the big one. Only so much CR7 can do in a Portugal team that is entirely dependent on him but he still won the EUROs, if he was playing for that Brazil or Argentina he'd have a world cup winners medal to by now

Same thing can be said about CR7 and Messi's club teams, they are super teams, with or without them those clubs would still win most of the matches...

Portugal had pretty good team in CR7's first WC, with Figo and Rui Costa, but back than CR7 was more of a show off and selfish type of player, that was his best chance to win the WC...

Messi has only himself to blame for not winning WC back in 2014, he screwed up the final big time, he choked like ABD and Styen (as they do in WCs)...Plus he was never Maradona caliber player. Not just skill, but mental toughness and game plan he had nobody else did. He used to drive the whole team...

 

[Asif khan]

This is nitpicking of the highest order, if that serial argentinian choker had a remotely similar record in the KO stages or even one big performance at the international level like CR7 v Spain last night ya"ll be idol worshipping him, he is the one who gets away with it. Messi was great during his purple path but without his natural gifts he is nothing due to his poor work ethic, lack of heart and mental weakness; this is why he will never be better then Ronaldo.

Messi virtually plays an Ozil role and scores at the rate of Ronaldo which takes some doing. If Ronaldo did that you guys would make him your deity. Anyway, i was countering your claim that he had a stellar Euros when in reality he was pretty average all the way through apart from a few goals but then as a penalty box player which he predominantly has been for the last 4-5 years you have to score some of the many chances you are gifted.

 

[Asif khan]

Messi was far superior In Copa '16 to CR7 Euro '16 but you have to actually watch the games to realise it. The difference was Messi didn't have an Eder in the final.

 

[Slog]

That 2014 team was average without Messi. He was the player of the tournament and dragged them to the final, even though he had to drop deep and link the midfield and attack because Argentina didn’t have another creative outlet.

People overestimate Argentina because of their forward line. Yes it look amazing on paper, but it is a dysfunctional team because it lacks balance and chemistry.

Ronaldo wouldn’t have won the World Cup with Argentina side. Considering how average he was in that World Cup, I doubt if he would have taken Argentina to the final.

Messi dragged Argentina to the final but somehow did that without doing jack in any of the knockout games. How does that work? After the group stage matches Messi was poor for Argentina

 

[Slog]

Also it's very disingenuous to say that the Argentia 2014 team had only attacking players

The defence of Peak Zabaleta, Garay, Demichelles and Rojo was very good. Also had Mascherano in DM role

Even current defence with Otamendi is good.

Certainly far superior to Portugal which has Fenerbahce players and West Ham rejects

 

[Oligochaetes]

I just saw something...lol

International Goal Scorers

21. Sunil Chetri - India - 64
21. Lionel Messi - 64

Anyways, to the topic, of what I have seen in the first two games, Ronaldo looked liked he was giving it his all in the game, was pumped, energetic, oozing confidence.

On the other hand, Messi seemed depressed and sad. That beard might have given me that impression too, but He looked lackluster and down on confidence. Plus the Iceland wall was near impenetrable for him. Even, when he fell and got the penalty, he stayed down for a long time like he didn't want to get up and take that penalty. I got the impression that he was playing with a defeatist attitude.

This is my layman observation from game 1 for both teams. Lets see how they do in thier second game. Something tells me CR7 will rock again

 

[proud_pakistani]

This portugal team is stupid mate.Just watched yesterday's game and saw that the mighty spain bossed them like minnows.If it was not for ronaldo's brilliance the score line would have been a blatant 3-0 and if ronaldo failed in next 2 games i am not seeing them get past the group stage comprehensively let alone a wc,semi or even quarter

As like the commentators said yesterday what we witnessed was not spain vs portugal

Its 11 top Professionals vs 1 Genius

It doesn't matter, as long as he can help them scrape through and win games. Portugal squad is not as good as Spain's but its certainly not that bad either. If Ronaldo could do it in the Euros theres no reason he can't do it here.

 

[shaz619]

Still find it shocking how people overlooking the fact that the World Cup platform and putting on that national shirt creates a very high pressure environment, more so then any other domestic competition. If it was so easy then both Messi and Ronaldo would be finding it so much easier compared to La Liga, UCL or EPL. This is why I rate international football very highly.

But when you compare the accomplishments of both in international arena, Ronaldo has a compatibly better resume despite playing in an inferior team. It's not out of this world to suggest that Messi lacks the mental toughness on the big stage as good as he has been.

 

[Extra_Cover]

Still find it shocking how people overlooking the fact that the World Cup platform and putting on that national shirt creates a very high pressure environment, more so then any other domestic competition. If it was so easy then both Messi and Ronaldo would be finding it so much easier compared to La Liga, UCL or EPL. This is why I rate international football very highly.

But when you compare the accomplishments of both in international arena, Ronaldo has a compatibly better resume despite playing in an inferior team. It's not out of this world to suggest that Messi lacks the mental toughness on the big stage as good as he has been.

Fact - One is a WC golden ball winner and other is not

 

[James]

I always remember the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea when Barcelona were at home and went out (the year that Chelsea won it), Messi was anonymous in that game and missed a penalty then as well. Since then there have been numerous instances of him not seeming like the strongest player mentally.

 

[pillionrider]

I always remember the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea when Barcelona were at home and went out (the year that Chelsea won it), Messi was anonymous in that game and missed a penalty then as well. Since then there have been numerous instances of him not seeming like the strongest player mentally.

I also recall him destroying EPL teams multiple times.

The problem with the Brits is they can't accept someone as great unless he destroyed their national team or played in their league. Zidane said something along these lines far more eloquently.

 

[Mueez]

Since he won't answer it and you seem to agree with it, can you answer the following then



How does a guy who had health problems as a kid, had to move abroad at 13 without his mother, has scored over 500 goals and has won numerous trophies (more trophies than Ronaldo for what it's worth) lack a heart and work ethic?

Tell me why a kid, who was unwanted by his parents, whose father was a full-time gambler and an alcoholic, who was just a young prodigy when he joined Manchester United, still made it and ATLEAST became one of the best, if not the bestest.

On the other end there is a player named Lionel Messi, also an once in a generation type player, YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, who wanted to retire just after a loss in the final of Copa Amèrica.

He wanted to leave the team, when his 'so-called pathetic teammates' needed him the most.

And I can write down many acts of him like this...

Isn't that a sign of lacking a heart and not being able to handle it when the heat is on....?

And I would have to agree with the fact that Ronaldo wasn't at his best this season, but still he delivered when it mattered the most, when the situation was very very tight...

Now above all of this, tell me who would you choose, when the going gets tough....

Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

 

[Hasan123]

It was a golden gen in 2014 and they are compatibly better then Portugal as it stands, stop making excuses for the alleged GOAT.

Messi has better support then Ronaldo so there's a difference because the same rules do not apply but you are making out as if he has been shockingly awful at the international level when that is not true at all.

So let me get this straight, Ronaldo is being criticised for scoring goals against Hungary yet we overlook how awful Messi was vs Iceland, and that wasn't the only game CR7 did well he scored in the semi final of the EURO as well, how can we say he had a bad tournament; plus the EURO is of a higher calibre then any international tournament outside the WC. As it stands he did fine in the EURO his role was very important and now he has this performance vs the mighty spain on his resume to. All we see here is Ronaldo's prowess being nitpicked while Messis no shows are sugar coated, credit where due for the qualifiers but is that something to seriously boast especially a player of his standing?

A team with Sergio Romero,Martin Demichelies,and Marcus Rojo is a golden generation? )

You are making out as though Ronaldo has always performed when it matters for Portugal which isn't the case . Look at the team Portugal had in the 2006 WC semi final. Where was Ronaldo then ?

Messi is being blamed for all of Argentina failures which is very unfair. He missed a penalty which was his fault but where was the critiscm for Di Maria and Ageuro?

 

[DeadBall]

On the other hand, Messi seemed depressed and sad. That beard might have given me that impression too, but He looked lackluster and down on confidence. Plus the Iceland wall was near impenetrable for him. Even, when he fell and got the penalty, he stayed down for a long time like he didn't want to get up and take that penalty. I got the impression that he was playing with a defeatist attitude.

Agree with this, seemed very down and dejected.

 

[MMHS]

'When Cristiano invites you to his house say no... he's a machine, he doesn't want to stop training': Patrice Evra opens up on going to Cristiano Ronaldo's house for lunch and how the Portuguese spent weeks on his table tennis skills just to beat Rio Ferdinand"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ano-Ronaldos-house-lunch-turned-training.html

 

[shaz619]

A team with Sergio Romero,Martin Demichelies,and Marcus Rojo is a golden generation? )

You are making out as though Ronaldo has always performed when it matters for Portugal which isn't the case . Look at the team Portugal had in the 2006 WC semi final. Where was Ronaldo then ?

Messi is being blamed for all of Argentina failures which is very unfair. He missed a penalty which was his fault but where was the critiscm for Di Maria and Ageuro?

It was a very strong team and that is just the consensus but people are free to have the opposing view to make Messi look better, where have I said he hasn't failed; besides, did he miss any sitters ? Messi was literally handed a World Cup in one of his hands, anyhow ever since, CR7 has more then made up for his past by scoring goals to help his team reach EURO final and now the hattrick vs Spain in a WC, he has shown more impact then Messi at the international level.

Messi is advocated as this invincible footballer so you can expect criticism, there's a narrative that he is even better then Maradonna when that is clearly not true. But if we accept him for what he is, a solid talent that can't be relied on in the big moments then he'd be appreciated more for what he is and others would also be criticised a bit more but his fans often do that anyway because Messi clearly can do no wrong

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Tell me why a kid, who was unwanted by his parents, whose father was a full-time gambler and an alcoholic, who was just a young prodigy when he joined Manchester United, still made it and ATLEAST became one of the best, if not the bestest.

On the other end there is a player named Lionel Messi, also an once in a generation type player, YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, who wanted to retire just after a loss in the final of Copa Amèrica.

He wanted to leave the team, when his 'so-called pathetic teammates' needed him the most.

And I can write down many acts of him like this...

Isn't that a sign of lacking a heart and not being able to handle it when the heat is on....?

And I would have to agree with the fact that Ronaldo wasn't at his best this season, but still he delivered when it mattered the most, when the situation was very very tight...

Now above all of this, tell me who would you choose, when the going gets tough....

Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

Again I see you're doing that thing which is what people tend to do with the Messi-Ronaldo debate and that is resort to assumptions and extremes.

At no point have I suggested Ronaldo is mentally weak, on the contrary his achievements are phenomenal especially when you consider when he first came into the season he was seen as having plenty of skill BUT no end product, yet he went from that and became a world class player. The guy evidently has unbelievable work ethic.

Unlike others I'm not going to resort to downplaying his achievements simply because I prefer Messi and think Messi is the better player.

The thing I took issue with is questioning Messi's heart and work ethic. Quite frankly if you have even the slightest clue about football it's not something you would question regardless of where your loyalty lies in this debate.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

I just saw something...lol

International Goal Scorers

21. Sunil Chetri - India - 64
21. Lionel Messi - 64

Anyways, to the topic, of what I have seen in the first two games, Ronaldo looked liked he was giving it his all in the game, was pumped, energetic, oozing confidence.

On the other hand, Messi seemed depressed and sad. That beard might have given me that impression too, but He looked lackluster and down on confidence. Plus the Iceland wall was near impenetrable for him. Even, when he fell and got the penalty, he stayed down for a long time like he didn't want to get up and take that penalty. I got the impression that he was playing with a defeatist attitude.

This is my layman observation from game 1 for both teams. Lets see how they do in thier second game. Something tells me CR7 will rock again

No offence BUT how can you be expected to be taken seriously when you post the above?

You do know that it wasn't Messi that got fouled that led to the penalty? Messi is the one that put the cross in

 

[shaz619]

Tell me why a kid, who was unwanted by his parents, whose father was a full-time gambler and an alcoholic, who was just a young prodigy when he joined Manchester United, still made it and ATLEAST became one of the best, if not the bestest.

On the other end there is a player named Lionel Messi, also an once in a generation type player, YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, who wanted to retire just after a loss in the final of Copa Amèrica.

He wanted to leave the team, when his 'so-called pathetic teammates' needed him the most.

And I can write down many acts of him like this...

Isn't that a sign of lacking a heart and not being able to handle it when the heat is on....?

And I would have to agree with the fact that Ronaldo wasn't at his best this season, but still he delivered when it mattered the most, when the situation was very very tight...

Now above all of this, tell me who would you choose, when the going gets tough....

Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

Ignorant football fans ignoring these questions because they can't come up with a retort or look beyond their fandom, it takes a lot for any footballer to make it at the highest level but to downplay all the international choking is moronic, not everyone delivers in the crunch moments e.g see someone like an ABDV for example and it is obvious to see that Ronaldo is mentally tougher then Messi when it comes to the crunch moments or else Messi wouldn't have missed a penalty vs Iceland, failed in the lowly regarded Copa, missed a sitter in a WC final; in contrast CR7 won the EURO scoring in a key semi final and has a hattrick vs Span in a WC.

 

[shaz619]

That's not to say Messi can't prove himself in this World Cup and make up for his past mistakes and I will give credit where due if he does, but right now all I see is people sugar coating Messis performances in the international level while berating what Ronaldo has achieved.

 

[Asif khan]

Tell me why a kid, who was unwanted by his parents, whose father was a full-time gambler and an alcoholic, who was just a young prodigy when he joined Manchester United, still made it and ATLEAST became one of the best, if not the bestest.

On the other end there is a player named Lionel Messi, also an once in a generation type player, YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT, who wanted to retire just after a loss in the final of Copa Amèrica.

He wanted to leave the team, when his 'so-called pathetic teammates' needed him the most.

And I can write down many acts of him like this...

Isn't that a sign of lacking a heart and not being able to handle it when the heat is on....?

And I would have to agree with the fact that Ronaldo wasn't at his best this season, but still he delivered when it mattered the most, when the situation was very very tight...

Now above all of this, tell me who would you choose, when the going gets tough....

Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

The reason Messi wanted to retire was first of all they lost 3 finals in a 3 year span which hurt him immensely and secondly he gave it his best shot and felt it's time for others to have a go. It wasn't a selfish decision like Ronaldo's after his stinker against Liverpool, feeling insecure about Bale stealing the limelight and impudently announcing he wants to leave Madrid.

I didn't see Ronaldo being decisive against Bayern or Liverpool and he wasn't even on the pitch against France in Euros where is goals to shots ratio was very ordinary. The difference was no one else stood up like Eder, Benzema and Bale did for Messi to steal their thunder.

 

[Vegitto1]

Second Highest goal scorer in the world (international) and the first in Europe (International)

 

[Mamoon]

La Liga is inferior to the EPL and Ronaldo has 3 of them, Messi has remained in his comfort zone for so long and one can can't be soley attributed for 9 years of dominance that's not to say that he hasn't outperformed Ronaldo in that league because he has and deserves credit, however such league games do not have as much pressure of a KO stage or international platform consistently which explains why Ronaldo has a better champions league and international record in comparison, otherwise for instance how else can you explain the howlers vs Iceland and Germany in 2014 ? He is always talking about retiring from internationals to and he's only in his 20s !

Premier League's so-called superiority over La Liga is a myth. When was the last time an English team won the Champions League, or even made it to the final?

Mess would destroy the Premier League, and his fantastic record against English teams in the Champions League is just an indication of the damage that he will do in England. Far inferior and less physical players than Messi have come from La Liga and excelled in England, yet Messi, who is levels above all of those players, would fail in England.

Premier League is nothing but English media hype. A player does not have to do play in England to be considered great. As far as Ronaldo's superior record in the Champions League is concerned, you cannot equate team success to an individual. People don't realize the fact that over the last few years, Madrid as a team have been better than Barcelona, and the only player that he has stopped Madrid from dominating in Spain has been Messi. He has dragged this Barcelona team for a while now and made them look elite.

Speaking of the Champions League, the only time Messi and Ronaldo faced-off in Europe, Messi completely outclassed him. Ronaldo doesn't have a better record than Messi in international football - Ronaldo has not even come close to producing a Golden Ball worthy World Cup which Messi has, and he had zero contribution in the final of the only international trophy that he has won.

 

[Mamoon]

Messi dragged Argentina to the final but somehow did that without doing jack in any of the knockout games. How does that work? After the group stage matches Messi was poor for Argentina

People assume that since he did not score in the knockouts, he was rubbish. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Messi still played very well and was comfortably Argentina's best player. He created Argentina's goal in the Round of 16 with his individual brilliance, and was the outstanding player on the pitch in the QF vs Belgium.

He wasn't great in the semifinal, and although he missed a good chance in the final, he was still Argentina's best player and made a fool out of Hummels, Germany's best CB who had an outstanding tournament.

I do not see how he didn't do jack, when he had to great performances and one good performance in the knockout phase. Moreover, why would he have won the Golden Ball if he wouldn't have done jack in the knockout games?

People don't realize that Messi's role for Argentina is quite different to his role for Barcelona. In Argentina, he functions primarily as a playmaker because Argentina is a forward-heavy team with no creativity without Messi.

 

[A-1]

You can't pass your opinion off as fact

Are you forgetting the hat-trick Messi scored to get Argentina to this World Cup? Far more pressure than the opening game of a World Cup.

I love how you dismissed the South American teams as part time shepherds.

As for the Euro's, I agree it is a legitimate International competition BUT the win for Portugal was arguably the worst Euro win going (certainly from the one's I can remember). They finished 3rd in a group containing Hungary, Iceland and Austria. Portugal only won 1 game in normal time in the entire tournament. And as we know Ronaldo went off injured after 25 minutes so he played no part in that specific win.

Dont get me wrong I love messi but ronaldo is as good as messi for me. He is a big game player, took his team to the last world cup single handedly like messi did it this year (scored a hat-trick against sweden in the knockout).

Its also odd how CR7 only international achievement is downplayed since he left 25 minutes into the game but dont realize that it was actually ronaldo who took them to the finals (3 goal and 3 assists). The group they had was far from easy.

Also, the Argentinian team is better then the Portuguese team in comparison even now. Every single Argentinian player on paper is better then the Portuguese team and except for 1 or 2 players, I dont see any Portuguese player making it into the Argentinian team.

Hypothetically speaking, if we Swap ronaldo with messi, what do you think will happen? will Argentina win any silverware or not?

 

[Majid Khan]

Just like I wouldn't rate Alastair Cook to be as good a test batsman as Lara or Viv even if he scored 20000 test runs, I can't accept Ronaldo is anywhere near the calibre of Diego Maradona or Pele, no matter how many more goals.

 

[Kroll]

Second Highest goal scorer in the world (international) and the first in Europe (International)

Fantastic achievement! This guy's thirst for breaking records is unbounded.

 

[Slog]

Just like I wouldn't rate Alastair Cook to be as good a test batsman as Lara or Viv even if he scored 20000 test runs, I can't accept Ronaldo is anywhere near the calibre of Diego Maradona or Pele, no matter how many more goals.

Alaistar Cook is doing that with a middling average of mid 40s so apart from longevity factor he is well behind Lara or Viv by every metric

Ronaldo on the other hand is smoking Maradona statistically

Poor comparison

 

[Friend786]

Sergio Ramos: In Argentina they know Maradona is lightyears behind the best-ever Argentine, Messi

http://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2018/06/21/5b2acd53e2704ec0a18b4573.html

 

[Pakistanian]

Ronaldo has been more clutch than messi.

 

[Meeshu_Man]

Statistics alone should not decide a debate Messi is more like Federer artistic , skilled natural pleasing to the eyes whereas Ronaldo is more like Nadal physically raw and mentally supreme. It all depend on your taste, i will pick Messi pure pleasure to watch him on the field , definitely the best Footballer of last 30 years

 

[yasir]

Sergio Ramos: In Argentina they know Maradona is lightyears behind the best-ever Argentine, Messi

http://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2018/06/21/5b2acd53e2704ec0a18b4573.html

One can come up with other quotes too, like when people were comparing Zidane to Maradona. His own country man(Platini) said this about that comparison

"Zidane does some extraordinary things, it's true. But you have to put everything in context. What Zidane does with a ball, Maradona could do with an orange," he added.

Ref: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/euro2000/teams/france/814529.stm

First let Messi win a cup before comparing him to Great Maradona. Its ridiculous to suggest Messi is in the same league as Maradona. I don't think anybody would have a performance what Maradona had in 1986. Maradona is Bradman of Soccer

 

[Mamoon]

Maradona has no chance in the modern game with his unacceptable fitness levels. Majority of the defenders in his time were oafs, and the game wasn’t so fast and was played with lower intensity.

Like other sports, football has greatly benefited from improved athleticism and training. Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar will create havoc against the majority of the defenses that Maradona and Pele played against.

At an individual level, Messi is comfortably better than Maradona. Finishing, passing, vision, touch, free-kicks, control, pace, agility, fitness etc., he trumps him on all fronts.

There are people who refuse to acknowledge that athletes have improved in the modern game, and although the world is progressing, they somehow fail to explain why sports are going in the reverse direction.

They fail to explain because it a myth, and they cannot overcome their nostalgia. The memories are imprinted in your brain in your adolescent years, and they hold a special meaning for you.

Similarly, kids growing up today will have a hard time accepting someone as better than Messi and Ronaldo, if is such a player arrives in 20-30 years.

Messi and Ronaldo are the two greatest players the sport has ever seen, who have taken football to a whole new level and have changed the game forever.

They have raised the bar in a staggering fashion, and they don’t need World Cups to validate their greatness, but perhaps the World Cup needs them.

1. Messi
2. Ronaldo

Maradona, Pele, Zidane, Cruyff, de Stefano, George Best, Platini, R9 etc. etc. are following their lead.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Maradona has no chance in the modern game with his unacceptable fitness levels. Majority of the defenders in his time were oafs, and the game wasn’t so fast and was played with lower intensity.

Like other sports, football has greatly benefited from improved athleticism and training. Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar will create havoc against the majority of the defenses that Maradona and Pele played against.

At an individual level, Messi is comfortably better than Maradona. Finishing, passing, vision, touch, free-kicks, control, pace, agility, fitness etc., he trumps him on all fronts.

There are people who refuse to acknowledge that athletes have improved in the modern game, and although the world is progressing, they somehow fail to explain why sports are going in the reverse direction.

They fail to explain because it a myth, and they cannot overcome their nostalgia. The memories are imprinted in your brain in your adolescent years, and they hold a special meaning for you.

Similarly, kids growing up today will have a hard time accepting someone as better than Messi and Ronaldo, if is such a player arrives in 20-30 years.

Messi and Ronaldo are the two greatest players the sport has ever seen, who have taken football to a whole new level and have changed the game forever.

They have raised the bar in a staggering fashion, and they don’t need World Cups to validate their greatness, but perhaps the World Cup needs them.

1. Messi
2. Ronaldo

Maradona, Pele, Zidane, Cruyff, de Stefano, George Best, Platini, R9 etc. etc. are following their lead.

I have to agree with you there.Everyone has a tendency to think things were better in the past.

 

[Friend786]

Linekar summed it up perfectly. Both are legends but the pleasure i get from watching Messi somehow goes missing when i watch Ronaldo. By the way, Messi's overall goal scoring ratio is higher than Ronaldo

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You want me to say something I don’t believe? You could argue that Ronaldo is the greater goal scorer even though their numbers are similar, but there is no contest when it comes to who is the best footballer. Ronaldo is prolific, Messi is joyous. &#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57339; <a href="https://t.co/tgPxq2YklO">https://t.co/tgPxq2YklO</a></p>— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1009423372969742337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Mamoon]

Linekar summed it up perfectly. Both are legends but the pleasure i get from watching Messi somehow goes missing when i watch Ronaldo. By the way, Messi's overall goal scoring ratio is higher than Ronaldo

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You want me to say something I don’t believe? You could argue that Ronaldo is the greater goal scorer even though their numbers are similar, but there is no contest when it comes to who is the best footballer. Ronaldo is prolific, Messi is joyous. ���� <a href="https://t.co/tgPxq2YklO">https://t.co/tgPxq2YklO</a></p>— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1009423372969742337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I completely agree, but getting pleasure from watching Messi play is subjective, and can be argued against. However, you don’t meet subjectivity to prove that Messi is better.

Both are almost at the same level in terms of goal scoring ability, but Messi is at a different level when it comes to playmaking and creativity.

Without goals, Ronaldo is nothing special; without goals, Messi is still extraordinary. Not only is he the best goal scorer in the world along with Ronaldo, but he also the best playmaker.

This simple fact is enough to end any Messi vs Ronaldo debate.

 

[Friend786]

I completely agree, but getting pleasure from watching Messi play is subjective, and can be argued against. However, you don’t meet subjectivity to prove that Messi is better.

Both are almost at the same level in terms of goal scoring ability, but Messi is at a different level when it comes to playmaking and creativity.

Without goals, Ronaldo is nothing special; without goals, Messi is still extraordinary. Not only is he the best goal scorer in the world along with Ronaldo, but he also the best playmaker.

This simple fact is enough to end any Messi vs Ronaldo debate.

Agreed.

Ronaldo has certain attributes in which he is better than Messi like in set-pieces, headers ,penalties and overall a much more reliable player in the air.

In playmaking and creativity department Messi is miles ahead.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Bye bye Messi.

 

[shaz619]

Premier League's so-called superiority over La Liga is a myth. When was the last time an English team won the Champions League, or even made it to the final?

Mess would destroy the Premier League, and his fantastic record against English teams in the Champions League is just an indication of the damage that he will do in England. Far inferior and less physical players than Messi have come from La Liga and excelled in England, yet Messi, who is levels above all of those players, would fail in England.

Premier League is nothing but English media hype. A player does not have to do play in England to be considered great. As far as Ronaldo's superior record in the Champions League is concerned, you cannot equate team success to an individual. People don't realize the fact that over the last few years, Madrid as a team have been better than Barcelona, and the only player that he has stopped Madrid from dominating in Spain has been Messi. He has dragged this Barcelona team for a while now and made them look elite.

Speaking of the Champions League, the only time Messi and Ronaldo faced-off in Europe, Messi completely outclassed him. Ronaldo doesn't have a better record than Messi in international football - Ronaldo has not even come close to producing a Golden Ball worthy World Cup which Messi has, and he had zero contribution in the final of the only international trophy that he has won.

Since you don't value the EPL and their inferior quality then am guessing you must really rate Ronaldo being instrumental in Manchester United's 3rd Champions League title in their entire history.

It's all hypothetical what he would do in the EPL until he actually makes an appearance, but he loves his comfort zone and is mentally sensitive so I have my doubts.

It takes a team effort in football regardless, that's not to say a single individual can not be impactful in the big moments like Ronaldo has and he has been very consistent in the KO stage; goals do not score themselves and you also have to handle the pressure of a big game situation. To win 3 CL titles in a row is unprecedented and Ronaldo played his part in those victories. And it's not like Barca did not have the quality to win the CL either, they have no issues dominating La Liga; handling the pressure of a big stage requires mental toughness, the pressure in standard league games does not compare to the KO stages of CL tournament which you also rate as the ultimate accolade in football.

Messi did fine in the group stages of the 2014 WC and he did well with assists etc like you say, but where he scored goals against Nigeria, Bosnia and Iran; why was he unable to score goals against Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany ? Furthermore, he has also missed sitters against Iceland and in a do or die game vs Croatia today in the 2018 tournament. In comparison Ronaldo, came back from behind to level vs Hungary in the EURO and also broke the deadlock in the semi-final of that tournament; he was pivotal in Portugal's only international trophy; he also has a hattrick vs Spain to his name and 4 tournament goals so far in the 2018 tournament currently, it is universally accepted all of Portugal's fortunes are pinned on CR7.

 

[shaz619]

Bye bye Messi.

It has become tough but Argentina can still qualify, Iceland and Nigeria have not set the world on fire

 

[shaz619]

The equation is simple [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION], Messi needs to destroy the Nigerians to improve his teams GD and go through on 4 points. Iceland beating Nigeria or Croatia will not guarantee them qualification.

 

[DeadBall]

This Argentinian team is the worst in quite some time and shouldn't have been at the WC if not for Messi anyway. Looks like Messi just delayed the inevitable.

 

[Greenstorm]

Since you don't value the EPL and their inferior quality then am guessing you must really rate Ronaldo being instrumental in Manchester United's 3rd Champions League title in their entire history.

It's all hypothetical what he would do in the EPL until he actually makes an appearance, but he loves his comfort zone and is mentally sensitive so I have my doubts.

It takes a team effort in football regardless, that's not to say a single individual can not be impactful in the big moments like Ronaldo has and he has been very consistent in the KO stage; goals do not score themselves and you also have to handle the pressure of a big game situation. To win 3 CL titles in a row is unprecedented and Ronaldo played his part in those victories. And it's not like Barca did not have the quality to win the CL either, they have no issues dominating La Liga; handling the pressure of a big stage requires mental toughness, the pressure in standard league games does not compare to the KO stages of CL tournament which you also rate as the ultimate accolade in football.

Messi did fine in the group stages of the 2014 WC and he did well with assists etc like you say, but where he scored goals against Nigeria, Bosnia and Iran; why was he unable to score goals against Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany ? Furthermore, he has also missed sitters against Iceland and in a do or die game vs Croatia today in the 2018 tournament. In comparison Ronaldo, came back from behind to level vs Hungary in the EURO and also broke the deadlock in the semi-final of that tournament; he was pivotal in Portugal's only international trophy; he also has a hattrick vs Spain to his name and 4 tournament goals so far in the 2018 tournament currently, it is universally accepted all of Portugal's fortunes are pinned on CR7.

Without Messi, Argentina could not have qualified for this world cup. Today Argentina have shown that they do not belong here. Portugal as a team is playing twice as good football as Argentina. So its difficult to judge both Messi and Ronaldo on the basis of performances in this world cup.

 

[DeadBall]

The equation is simple [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION], Messi needs to destroy the Nigerians to improve his teams GD and go through on 4 points. Iceland beating Nigeria or Croatia will not guarantee them qualification.

If Iceland beat one side and draw against another then it's over for Argentina.

 

[shaz619]

Without Messi, Argentina could not have qualified for this world cup. Today Argentina have shown that they do not belong here. Portugal as a team is playing twice as good football as Argentina. So its difficult to judge both Messi and Ronaldo on the basis of performances in this world cup.

Credit where due to Messi for helping his team qualify for the World Cup but he has been unable to make a similar difference in the current tournament so far, he has a chance against Nigeria though and given how much everyone rates him especially in this thread it wouldn't be too much to expect from him. Then again he has already missed sitters vs Iceland and Croatia today, that can't be blamed on the entire Argentinian team, why is it that Messi is never accountable for his failures.

Portugal are hardly world beaters and they are playing terrible football, Ronaldo has been the major difference in their 2 victories in the World Cup so far. The only people who do not want to make a comparison when it comes to judging the two right now are Messi fans, they are not capable of giving any credit even when CR7 is doing well and will judge out of context.

This argentinian team on paper is better then portugal but their talisman has failed them when he was delivering during world cup qualification as you say. Moreover his body language is poor and he has failed to inspire his troops, this goes back to the question posed against his mental toughness at the international level and dealing with the pressure of putting on a national T-Shirt.

 

[Vegitto1]

Messi without the likes of Iniesta, Xavi, Rakatic, would not have achieved the level of success that he has achieved.

It’s absolute nonsense to say that Ronaldo is not a play-maker. I have seen him play exquisite passes, pin-point crosses, amazing through-balls - however as he plays predominantly as a CF in a fixed formation (as opposed to a flexible one) he is less focused on those aspects.

Anyway - Messi only ever played for Barcelona with amazing playmakers and has been successful. However, which Argentina, he hasn’t achieved the same level of success.

Ronaldo has been successful with Man Utd, Real Madrid and Portugal hence more proof that he relies less on players around him and more in his own abilities.

 

[shaz619]

If Iceland beat one side and draw against another then it's over for Argentina.

I don't know, their defence is very organised but they lack fire power up front. This group is still open especially with a team like Nigeria about

 

[Kroll]

Portugal may not be world beaters but let's not forget they are current European champions.

 

[Greenstorm]

Maradona has no chance in the modern game with his unacceptable fitness levels. Majority of the defenders in his time were oafs, and the game wasn’t so fast and was played with lower intensity.

Like other sports, football has greatly benefited from improved athleticism and training. Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar will create havoc against the majority of the defenses that Maradona and Pele played against.

At an individual level, Messi is comfortably better than Maradona. Finishing, passing, vision, touch, free-kicks, control, pace, agility, fitness etc., he trumps him on all fronts.

There are people who refuse to acknowledge that athletes have improved in the modern game, and although the world is progressing, they somehow fail to explain why sports are going in the reverse direction.

They fail to explain because it a myth, and they cannot overcome their nostalgia. The memories are imprinted in your brain in your adolescent years, and they hold a special meaning for you.

Similarly, kids growing up today will have a hard time accepting someone as better than Messi and Ronaldo, if is such a player arrives in 20-30 years.

Messi and Ronaldo are the two greatest players the sport has ever seen, who have taken football to a whole new level and have changed the game forever.

They have raised the bar in a staggering fashion, and they don’t need World Cups to validate their greatness, but perhaps the World Cup needs them.

1. Messi
2. Ronaldo

Maradona, Pele, Zidane, Cruyff, de Stefano, George Best, Platini, R9 etc. etc. are following their lead.

If an unfit Maradona was like that, just imagine what a fit and driven Maradonna would have done in modern day football.

 

[Greenstorm]

I think Messi should move from Barcelona to another club(preferably some PL club) just to shut up his haters.

 

[DeadBall]

Then again he has already missed sitters vs Iceland and Croatia today, that can't be blamed on the entire Argentinian team, why is it that Messi is never accountable for his failures.

He did miss the penalty against Iceland but don't know which sitters he missed today.

 

[shaz619]

He did miss the penalty against Iceland but don't know which sitters he missed today.

It was around the 80+ min mark, they were 2 down and had their best chance but Messi was denied by a Rakitic tackle. A player of his calibre should have put that at the back of the net.

 

[mani1]

This is what the G.O.A.T does on a terrible pitch at the biggest stage

 

[Greenstorm]

Credit where due to Messi for helping his team qualify for the World Cup but he has been unable to make a similar difference in the current tournament so far, he has a chance against Nigeria though and given how much everyone rates him especially in this thread it wouldn't be too much to expect from him. Then again he has already missed sitters vs Iceland and Croatia today, that can't be blamed on the entire Argentinian team, why is it that Messi is never accountable for his failures.

Portugal are hardly world beaters and they are playing terrible football, Ronaldo has been the major difference in their 2 victories in the World Cup so far. The only people who do not want to make a comparison when it comes to judging the two right now are Messi fans, they are not capable of giving any credit even when CR7 is doing well and will judge out of context.

This argentinian team on paper is better then portugal but their talisman has failed them when he was delivering during world cup qualification as you say. Moreover his body language is poor and he has failed to inspire his troops, this goes back to the question posed against his mental toughness at the international level and dealing with the pressure of putting on a national T-Shirt.

There is no doubt that CR7 is mentally more tougher than Messi. Mental Toughness and sheer hardwork is a big reason behind is performances but the way CR7 fans put down Messi as if he is nothing irks me.

I love dribbling, and if a player cannot dodge a defender or cannot go past him purely on skill then I just cannot rate him. This is an aspect where CR7 lacks. In Man utd days, he used to be the most entertaining player(even more than Messi) along with scoring heaps of goals. I do not know why he stopped playing that way after his move to Madrid.

 

[DeadBall]

This is what the G.O.A.T does on a terrible pitch at the biggest stage

Thought it would be regarding the Hand Of God goal as given the pitch condition using hands would have been much easier than using the feet.

 

[shaz619]

This is what the G.O.A.T does on a terrible pitch at the biggest stage

Poor defending and awful fitness levels were more instrumental in those goals

 

[Friend786]

Messi without the likes of Iniesta, Xavi, Rakatic, would not have achieved the level of success that he has achieved.

It’s absolute nonsense to say that Ronaldo is not a play-maker. I have seen him play exquisite passes, pin-point crosses, amazing through-balls - however as he plays predominantly as a CF in a fixed formation (as opposed to a flexible one) he is less focused on those aspects.

Anyway - Messi only ever played for Barcelona with amazing playmakers and has been successful. However, which Argentina, he hasn’t achieved the same level of success.

Ronaldo has been successful with Man Utd, Real Madrid and Portugal hence more proof that he relies less on players around him and more in his own abilities.

3 Copa America Finals
World Cup Final
Olympic gold medal

Isn't that bad.....

 

[shaz619]

There is no doubt that CR7 is mentally more tougher than Messi. Mental Toughness and sheer hardwork is a big reason behind is performances but the way CR7 fans put down Messi as if he is nothing irks me.

I love dribbling, and if a player cannot dodge a defender or cannot go past him purely on skill then I just cannot rate him. This is an aspect where CR7 lacks. In Man utd days, he used to be the most entertaining player(even more than Messi) along with scoring heaps of goals. I do not know why he stopped playing that way after his move to Madrid.

Honestly, it is Messi fans who are absolutely god awful human beings. I actually was a fan of Messi but given his toxic fan base he doesn't have my sympathies. He is a wonderful football player who is arguably the most gifted in history but this is just a fact that on the international stage he has lacked mental toughness and CR7 is more proven in this regard. And speaking of his style of play, if you don't evolve then your time in the sport is going to be a short one because there will be a period when you can no longer coast on your god given abilities.