Messi or Ronaldo, which one is better? To be honest, everyone has their preference when it comes to this question since the criteria that define superiority differ. The matter of discussion is whether they are more successful creators than finishers or better defenders as compared to attackers. As far as a more general comparison is concerned, Messi has some advantages that make him better than Ronaldo in terms of the completeness of his game as the best footballer. There can be no doubts as to Cristiano Ronaldo being a scorer par excellence, an incredibly complete athlete and one of the deadliest players to play soccer ever. Nonetheless, there can be no doubts about Messi's superior quality as a facilitator and creator who possesses incredible technical skills, making Messi even more special than the outstanding goalscorer that he certainly is.
Different types of superiority
First of all, let's consider the differences between the ways that Ronaldo and Messi impact the game. It has become rather clear that there is a difference between how they play and why some people consider Ronaldo the superior finisher, whereas other fans vote for Messi. However, both are legends, yet when it comes to the complete comparison, one of them still prevails.
- Messi controls the game and dictates attacks through dribbling, passing, combinations and other means
- Ronaldo stretches the lines and makes use of his physical power and ability to play the ball first time.
- Messi can create something unique in tight spaces
- Ronaldo is very effective when it comes to using open spaces
Thus, we can see the different approaches used and different qualities exploited by the players to score and create threats for the opposing defense. The difference lies in the way that both stars create chances to shoot the ball or assist their teammates.
It becomes evident that there are completely different styles of attacking play. In order to make a choice, it is necessary to compare them and determine what kind of footballer will be preferable according to one criterion.
- Messi makes more passes and dribbles
- Ronaldo wins more 50/50 balls and is the superior goal threat
- Messi can make assists without losing possession of the ball
- Ronaldo's game does not depend on passing accuracy
- Both players have wide positional flexibility
Therefore, when comparing their style, some features should be considered separately. Messi creates many opportunities in order to score; however, sometimes he does not manage to take such chances because of the poor distribution of the ball.
Messi's great advantage is in his efficiency without wasting any actions. He rarely touches the ball without purpose and seems to do things that cannot be done by anyone else. On top of that, Messi always knows where and how to move the ball in order to make a shot and finish the situation.
Ronaldo, however, has another great feature that can be attributed to the game of this superstar. He has reinvented himself and thus became one of the most versatile strikers who know perfectly well how to make use of his skills in different roles.
Trophies and big tournaments
Lionel Messi was born in 1987 in Rosario and he has shown that his game was not restricted to one system and one coach. He was born in Rosario and his breakthrough started at Barcelona in 2004; after some time, he revealed his real potential that made him even greater than he was. He started as a creative left-winger and ended up being the team's best attacking reference point.
His most memorable achievement came at the biggest possible stage - the World Cup. Thanks to this event and his winning this tournament, he became not only a legend of the club but also of the national squad. Now Messi's fans believe that he was able to make football history. This win made him the best footballer ever to play this game.
Cristiano Ronaldo was born in 1985 in Madeira. He made his breakthrough in 2002 and started as a winger at his club. Later, he moved to Manchester United and made his way to Real Madrid where he showed what kind of goal threat he represents in the game against the toughest defense. Later Ronaldo proved his class at Juventus and now many football fans see him in a totally new light as he keeps performing at a high level there.
Moreover, the career of the Portuguese legend has been successful in international tournaments as well as at the club level. Winning a European tournament helped Ronaldo show how he can play and what leadership qualities he has when his team faces difficult tasks. Many people saw Ronaldo's influence at such events in tournament games when the decisive goal is needed.
Why the advantage goes to Messi
If the main topic is who is superior overall, Messi definitely has an advantage in this comparison because his skills cover almost every part of the attack. Messi scores and makes assists and he does it with one pass. Moreover, there is no doubt that he can perform both tasks depending on the circumstances without changing the attack's tempo.
On the other hand, Ronaldo can claim that he is better as the pure goalscorer. First of all, he never misses the chance to put the ball in the net in one motion. He can head the ball effectively and make an instant decision to take the shot or assist.
Nonetheless, in the context of general abilities of a football player, it is necessary to understand that this aspect requires consideration of other factors. Football is not only about scoring goals; this sport implies controlling the game and making it complicated for your opponents. The skill of making decisions when the goal can be scored in different ways is really important. Therefore, in such a manner, Messi is the better footballer.
The answer
Summing it all up, it is necessary to say that these players have their unique styles, strengths and weaknesses that make some people favor them. On the one hand, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the superior finisher and competitor. Yet, there is no doubt that the overall winner is Lionel Messi, who is better on the whole.