This is the crux of it for me, but you also have to factor in the impact on the international arena. Messi has by most accounts disappointed for Argentina. Unlike Maradona who singlehandedly led them to the 1986 World Cup, Messi has not inspired success in the national side (runners up in 2014). Ronaldo has been a huge influence on Portugal and for such a small and relatively poor country he was key to leading them to be Euro champions. I know he went off in the final injured but you can't deny his influence on that country. To do it in the three toughest leagues leaves no doubt to his greatness.
Poll: The Greatest? Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo
- Thread starter Robbo
- Start date
This is the crux of it for me, but you also have to factor in the impact on the international arena. Messi has by most accounts disappointed for Argentina. Unlike Maradona who singlehandedly led them to the 1986 World Cup, Messi has not inspired success in the national side (runners up in 2014). Ronaldo has been a huge influence on Portugal and for such a small and relatively poor country he was key to leading them to be Euro champions. I know he went off in the final injured but you can't deny his influence on that country. To do it in the three toughest leagues leaves no doubt to his greatness.
Soldato
I think it’s a personality type thing as to who you pick, then it’s rationalised with stats/silverware.
The people who pick Messi love that he’s at the pinnacle of one of the purest facets of the game - dribbling, the ball glued to his foot, the near certainty he’ll dance around or bounce off however many defenders he needs without much fuss or extravagance and put the ball in the net given a sniff of space or an angle. A manlet with God Mode ball control and shooting engaged. It’s art, god-given talent sort of thing.
The people who pick Ronaldo love the complete athlete, the flair, the all-round attacking powerhouse who scores every sort of goal you can imagine and some you didn’t. A chiselled chad whose stats are set to 11. Obsessed with being elite. Graft, mechanical practice and rote repetition, something engineered, refined and optimised.
The people who pick Messi love that he’s at the pinnacle of one of the purest facets of the game - dribbling, the ball glued to his foot, the near certainty he’ll dance around or bounce off however many defenders he needs without much fuss or extravagance and put the ball in the net given a sniff of space or an angle. A manlet with God Mode ball control and shooting engaged. It’s art, god-given talent sort of thing.
The people who pick Ronaldo love the complete athlete, the flair, the all-round attacking powerhouse who scores every sort of goal you can imagine and some you didn’t. A chiselled chad whose stats are set to 11. Obsessed with being elite. Graft, mechanical practice and rote repetition, something engineered, refined and optimised.
Messi has literally just won the Copa America with Argentina scoring 4 and assisting with 5.
Caporegime
My god, they’ve actually just debated the new fifa ratings for the two on MNF 
My god, they’ve actually just debated the new fifa ratings for the two on MNF
Yeah I was surprised to see that as well
Edit ::
I thought the 'who would you bring off the bench' wasn't a great debate on MNF - it wouldn't be Messi or Ronaldo - it has to be Fellaini
Don
I thought I was going to be controversial voting for Ronaldo, I’m shocked.
Ronaldo has that ability to succeed regardless of the team he’s been in. I’ve always felt it’s easy to shine in a team of the world’s best.
Ronaldo has that ability to succeed regardless of the team he’s been in. I’ve always felt it’s easy to shine in a team of the world’s best.
Have I missed the seasons when Ronaldo was playing for a mid table side? He went from Utd (the top 1 or 2 sides in the PL) to Real (the top 1 or 2 sides in La Liga) to Juve (who dominated Serie A every year). 99% of every game Ronaldo's played since joining Utd first time around he's played for a side far superior to the opposition.
Caporegime
Juve are hardly the top side in Serie A right now (just look at their season so far) and he still won the golden boot there.
You could argue that Juve become a worse side due to signing Ronaldo
They'd won the League 7 times in a row before he joined and despite having a much stronger squad than at least AC Milan and Atalanta, ended up finishing 4th by the skin of their teeth last season.Ronaldo is an outstanding player and has a single mindedness like no other player we've seen before. He'll always score loads of goals - whether the team scores more or is better as a result is another matter. Messi scores as many goals as Ronaldo (more per 90 actually) but also massively contributes to others and the team scoring more goals too. I know some people don't like analytics and all the xg stuff but some months ago I saw something from one of the stattos on twitter re Messi, looking at his xG chain/xG build-up (his involvement in attacks beyond just scoring and assisting) and he's up there with your Modric's and Thiago's of this world in terms of involvement in the build-up of attacks, as well as scoring and assisting goals more often than anybody else.
Associate
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What I do like to see what Ronaldo is how he has changed his way of playing during his career. When he came from Sporting to United he was this lanky winger who did love to do tricks and whatnot and he has transformed himself into probably the best forward in football when it comes to pure physique. He has shown a winning instinct far beyond most other players.
On the other hand Messi have been the far more bigger natural talent of the two of them, but also did benefit from the growth hormone treatments paid for by Barcelona.
And when it comes to where they have played, both have played in the top teams in their leagues, but I've always thought the spanish league being pretty bad when it comes to defence (however there is a couple of teams that takes pride in defence) so it is fairly obvious that they would score more goals in Spain than they would in England or Italy.
On the other hand Messi have been the far more bigger natural talent of the two of them, but also did benefit from the growth hormone treatments paid for by Barcelona.
And when it comes to where they have played, both have played in the top teams in their leagues, but I've always thought the spanish league being pretty bad when it comes to defence (however there is a couple of teams that takes pride in defence) so it is fairly obvious that they would score more goals in Spain than they would in England or Italy.
Soldato
Ronaldo for me.
Whilst you can argue that Ronaldo, like Messi, has played in quality teams, he's proven himself playing against harder competition within the Premier League. I'm obviously not discrediting Messi here, even playing dross in the Spanish league week in, week out, nobody else is going to be posting those kind of stats.
On the international front, Ronaldo has also performed for country and it's not like the national squad was that good in 2016 when they won the Euros.
Whilst you can argue that Ronaldo, like Messi, has played in quality teams, he's proven himself playing against harder competition within the Premier League. I'm obviously not discrediting Messi here, even playing dross in the Spanish league week in, week out, nobody else is going to be posting those kind of stats.
On the international front, Ronaldo has also performed for country and it's not like the national squad was that good in 2016 when they won the Euros.
I mean it is though…Portugal played Wales in the Semi Final…Argentina played Columbia.
Soldato
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Messi is the greatest ever. He’s just simply sensational. His all round game is excellent.
I was disappointed he took the easy route though.
Ronaldo is amazing as well but he’s not as good.
I was disappointed he took the easy route though.
Ronaldo is amazing as well but he’s not as good.
Caporegime
Messi and it's not even close.
Caporegime
Exactly. Which is why its so odd when people have such strong views on it and think the are right. Its the epitome of a subjective opinion. What do you value in a footballer? Is a player any less great because they spent their career at a smaller club and therefore didn't win any trophies or is that guy who floated around the peripheries at RM, United etc and has 5 PL titles and a few CL trophies to his name better. Its a bit of fun to discuss but people take it far too seriously.
That said, Messi every day of the week. He has blown my mind on so many occasions. Ronaldo impresses me in the way Djokovic does in tennis whereas Messi is like Federer. Just poetry in motion when he was at his peak.