Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo-GOAT

Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Complete Player & The Ultimate Athlete: A Tale of Two Giants

An emotional Lionel Scaloni said Lionel Messi deserved a special reception when taking the field for likely his last competitive game on home soil for Argentina on Thursday. 

However, he hoped the legendary forward would get another chance to bid farewell to the Argentine fans before his retirement. Messi will be present with his family and parents for this game, which speculates this may be his last game on his home soil.

Messi, 38, has not yet announced when he plans to retire, but he confirmed last week that he expects Thursday's match with Venezuela in Buenos Aires to be his last time playing at home in a World Cup qualifier.

"Yes, this is a match which Leo has said will be emotional, special, nice because it's true that it's our last qualifying match," Scaloni, who wiped away tears during his appearance before the media, said. "We have to enjoy it as we've always been saying.

"More than anyone, I will enjoy it. Having been able to coach him has honestly been a pleasure, and let's hope that fans who go to the stadium will also enjoy it because he truly deserves it.

Whatever happens, happens. Now is the time to enjoy him. Don’t think about when he’s gone, or wait for him to make the announcement. He’s so important to the world of soccer, not just for Argentinians, that I think it’s important to enjoy him now,” Lionel Scaloni said.

Yes, Scaloni is correct; today Argentina is playing Venezuela, and Messi has scored at the 39th and 80th minutes in this World Cup qualifier. Let us all enjoy him playing, and so also for the other great Ronaldo.

The sentiments expressed above resemble the true feelings of millions of fans worldwide, and this attraction also drove me towards Lumen Field, the home ground of the Seattle Sounders football club, to enjoy Messi playing.

The wave of worship and lionizing could be witnessed during the recently held League Cup Final between Inter Miami FC and Seattle Sounders FC in Seattle. The stadium was flowing with the supporters of Seattle Sounders visible with their club jerseys, but Messi mania was prominent with an equal number of fans wearing the number 10 Argentina jersey and a few sporting the jersey of his old club FC Barcelona. 

Few interactions with the supporters in the stadium clearly brought out the mix of Messi-Ronaldo disciples. It was an interesting dialogue heard during the game; a beautiful conversation between two brothers full of football romanticism and adulations. The elder brother pointing the younger one when Messi misses a sitter, “see if it was Ronaldo, it would have been a goal”; and when Messi takes a 180 degree turn, dribble past few players and with his wrong foot passes the ball steering two defenders, the younger now got his chance and said,” see this is Messi. Then he turns towards me and smilingly says to me “both the brothers do continue with this fight every day.”

This is a common phenomenon everywhere, even within our friends' circle, relations, and everywhere.

The never-ending debate, the continuous comparison of records, and the style by which they have earned their names, etched in each football lover's mind, is amazing. It seems at one point in time one is ahead of the other, and on the second instance, the other comes back with a superlative effort. This is the story of Messi-Ronaldo.......

LM10 and CR7; The greatness of both geniuses is measured through their fan following, and also the debate when all of them consider their favourite as the best. The weighing scale has different parameters when it comes to comparison; be it fitness, the artistic touch, the records in goal scoring or assists, number of World Cups won, number of trophies, or even the man of the match awards, and of course, the winning streak in Ballon d’Or.

However, whatever comparison we carry out, the living legends have proved themselves that they are beyond numbers; beyond achievements; beyond all parameters, they are just living their life with all adorations, adulations, respect, and worshipped as dummy Gods by all Football lovers all over the Globe.

Coming back to the game, the comparison of the achievements is overwhelming, with mindboggling numbers and amazing records.

If Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times as opposed to five times for Ronaldo, then Ronaldo was nominated eighteen times for the coveted award.

Goals scored :

Messi, the game maker and the scorer in his 1119 appearances, has scored 877 goals with 389 assists, whereas the goal scorer with his acrobats, Ronaldo, in his 1284 appearances, has scored 940 goals with 258 assists. Messi has scored each goal per 105 minutes, and Ronaldo has scored a goal per 112 minutes. Similarly, on average, it took 73 minutes per goal contribution for Messi, as against 88 minutes taken by Ronaldo. (These statistics exclude club friendlies)

The achievements are fabulous, while Messi won FIFA man of the match award eight times, with the last being at the age of 36 years, Ronaldo has scored the maximum goals, including the most International goals in football history, 138 goals for Portugal and 116 goals in competitive International games. 

While both of them share the maximum number of hat-tricks (10 each), Ronald has scored 50+ goals consecutively in 7 consecutive calendar years (2011-2017), and Messi has scored 50+ goals in nine different calendar years.

Messi, with his magic, has achieved through all major tournaments, has contributed to maximum goals and assists with the achievement of 53 numbers, and also has won the man of the match awards 26 times in all International tournaments. (!5 Copa America+11 World Cup).

Ronaldo, with his football power, is the only player to win a league title, domestic cup, domestic super cup, Champions League, Club World Cup, Golden Shoe, and Ballon d’Or at 2 clubs: Manchester United & Real Madrid, and he also has scored in most World Cup finals tournaments; scored in 5 World Cups. (2006, 20210, 2014, 2018, 2022)

While we have hundreds of such records of achievements, how do we still analyse who is the best?

Messi, with his artistic flair, his dribbling attributes, and being the prodigy of football, which he has proved from his childhood, and also joining as a young boy for FC Barcelona juniors, has time and again proved his supremacy and draws crowds even at this age of 38 years in every game, every tournament, and in every Country. He continues to remain at the top in everyone’s heart as a Football wizard.

Ronaldo has been accredited with being one of the World’s best players with physical ability and stamina to overpower the opposition and score goals. His expertise in the opponent’s penalty box and leading the game towards the goal mouth from outside the box marked a new era, which happened with his arrival in the International arena. 

Goal scoring rates :

What really made this rivalry catch fire was their incredible, unprecedented goal-scoring rates, with both Messi and Ronaldo averaging more than one goal every game at their peaks. Messi edges the ratio, with 0.78 goals per game, whereas Ronaldo has scored 0.73 goals per game. Ronaldo has scored more goals, but he has also played more games than Messi.

Who's the best at shooting?

The stats show that Ronaldo consistently has more shots on goal than Messi, totalling 5077 shots in the games we have this data for, compared to Messi's 4011 shots.

Leo Messi also gets more of his shots on target, with 45.92% of his efforts on target compared to Ronaldo's 40.46%.

However, despite Messi's superior efficiency, the sheer volume of attempts Cristiano Ronaldo can produce is incredible and an important skill in itself. He also has the edge in terms of shooting from long range, as well as with his weak foot and head, so that's enough to call this one a tie.

Who's the best at free kicks?

In recent years, Messi has become the ultimate free-kick specialist, whilst Ronaldo's proficiency in this area has diminished somewhat alarmingly. However, to say that this category is therefore cut-and-dry is simple recency bias.

For example, it may be true that from 2017-2019, Messi scored 23 free-kick goals to Ronaldo's 5; however, from 2009-2011, Ronaldo scored 21 direct free-kick goals to Messi's 3.

In terms of the all-time career stats, Messi has now scored 69 free-kick goals compared to Ronaldo's 64 free-kick goals.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have their own styles and also convert free-kick goals, and there cannot be a direct comparison on this front between the two.

Comparison shows that Messi shades the overall ratio on goal scoring; however, if we really drill down to this comparison, the most important factor that needs to be understood; Ronaldo spent more of his formative years as a more traditional right winger and later on started to focus on goal scoring with 3-4 years into his career in 2006 and at a later age from 2013-14 season. And Messi, it was 2-3 years into his career when he completed the transformation from a nippy winger into a player hungry for goals in addition to his all attributes. Comparing these happenings, the ratios on goal scoring would be even closer. Amongst so many categories or specialties in the game, the goal-scoring quality is the hardest to separate.

Who's the best at heading?

Heading is, without doubt, the most clear-cut category, with Ronaldo's heading stats absolutely dwarfing Messi's.

Over their entire careers, Ronaldo has scored 155 headers in 1284 appearances, whereas Messi has scored just 28 headers in 1119 appearances.

In addition to headed goals, Ronaldo has also won 1046 aerial duels in the games we have this data for, compared to Messi's 162 aerial duels won.

The physique of Ronaldo, his spot jumps for the headers, and controlling the aerial duel along with the bicycle kick iconic goal speak to the supremacy in this regard.

Dribbling wizard :

While we really analyse and see the games, it is very clear in the sense that both in dribbling and through passing, Messi scores over Ronaldo. However, Ronaldo started as a forceful right winger, who, with his speed, stamina, and skills, overpowered the defense and broke through opposition barriers, making way for goals and also scoring goals, thus the numbers for Messi definitely show better than his toughest rival.

Messi also dominates the through-ball statistics, making 515 successful through balls, compared to Ronaldo's 89 successful through balls.

Ronaldo slowly transitioned to an inside-forward / striker role over the years; thus, dribbling naturally became significantly less, and Ronaldo's goal scoring became the prime weapon for him to shine and rise.

On the other hand, Messi also started his career as a sharp winger and eventually moved to a more central role as his primary position for most of his career. Messi, over the years, played a very different game from a traditional centre-forward. The number 10 abilities had both game-making and goal scoring, which camouflages his abilities, making him the perfect False 9, the unidentified player in him. Messi comes much deeper, towards the play, rather than making runs and playing off the shoulder of the defenders.

Because he often comes deep to receive the ball, dribbling is still a major part of Messi's game, completing an incredible 3975 dribbles in the games we have this data for, compared to Ronaldo's 1944 successful dribbles.

There is, therefore, little doubt that Lionel Messi is the best when it comes to dribbling.

The attributes and qualities once acquired in each segment of the game have been mastered by both these greats, and even at their age, they are the living legends and icons to their infinite followers.

There cannot be any comparison between them, and the analogy to showcase their similarities continues every day to map their greatness.

The comparison will never end, as there are hosts of such records that have been achieved by both Messi and Ronaldo. If Messi has proved himself as the best in some attributes, Ronaldo strongly represents his supremacy in the others.

The other interesting fact about Messi :

One of the strong and strange facts, Lionel Messi just walks and strolls for 80% of the time he is on the pitch, and he is one of the highest goal-scorers ever! While his dribbling skills have mesmerized all his followers and football lovers like me for years, such amazing quality made me all the more curious about him as a player.

He does not run much – He spends the lowest total time running on the pitch (around 15-20%). While this is an interesting statistic, I thought it was to see and enjoy with my own eyes, and ‘yes, I could see, feel, and also relish the beautiful display of artistic touch & his game-making capabilities. One of the major things noted while he is on the pitch; his scouting of the surroundings and observing each player. Messi’s ability to find the smallest of spaces between the players and his through passes are amazing.

However, both Ronaldo and Messi run quickly over short distances, and their speed also peaks out significantly over the distance.

Messi and his skills are amazing...he knows the target even when he is not facing the post while receiving the ball...absolute genius on a 180° turn...

Who has more records?

In short, Messi and Ronaldo have a similar number of records to their name. The most startling is maybe Messi's Guinness World Record for scoring 91 goals in a calendar year in 2012. To put this into context, Messi's next best is 60, and Ronaldo's best is 69. To score 91 goals in a year is otherworldly.

Ronaldo, however, dominates the Champions League record books, with most goals, most assists, most free-kick goals, most hat-tricks (shared with Messi), and most goals in a single season.

Messi holds many European records at the domestic level, with the most league goals scored in a single season (50 goals), and most consecutive league matches scored in world football (21 matches, 33 goals).

At the International level, Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer with an unbelievable 138 goals, whilst Messi is the highest scoring South American of all time with 112 goals.

What can we all conclude? Who is the best?

 

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi face a harsh reality after final defeats in their respective finals, where both Al Nassr and Inter Miami faced defeat despite their individual brilliance. In Ronaldo’s case, Al-Nassr’s defense faltered at critical moments, unable to protect their advantage. For Messi, Inter Miami’s midfield and back line were completely overrun by a sharper, more organized Seattle side. These cracks in the collective ultimately rendered even the world’s finest players powerless.

However, by analyzing the skills, achievements, and the numbers, nobody can assess or make a declaration on who is the best. 

It is their individuality and their style of playing the game that make them the best together. They are GOAT of football ⚽️ in their own domain.

Lionel Messi's specialties include exceptional dribbling, playmaking, and close control, enabling him to create and score goals with a magical technical artistry. Cristiano Ronaldo's specialties center on his powerful athleticism, prolific goal-scoring ability across different types of goals (including headers), and immense mental drive to perform under pressure.