Better dexterity so is more dangerous with crossing, shooting and passing with his weaker foot. Better striking power (can arrow a shot into the top corner from obscene angles on the pitch). More flair and trickery (repertoire of skill moves at his disposal).
Messi v Ronaldo | Contains double your daily salt allowance
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Not sure you understand what the word dexterity means.
Ronaldo is more ambipedal. Happy?
He played injured for both the 2014 and 2016 finals... and he was still important even without doing anything special. Even in 2018 he was out injured for a while before the final after an injury he picked up in a Clasico in Barcelona where he got subbed off at half time.
You're right that his overall performances in CL finals have been worse than in earlier rounds but there's a clear reason for it when he was having injury probems for half the CL finals he's played.
fair point buddy and he was great in 2017 final
Ah the typical shifting of goal post, so despite no evidences or facts, you still assume that CR7 is as good as messi in passing but he has to play higher up the pitch so he has less throughballs and assist, so he chooses not to pass. Wow this mental gymnastic is out of this world.
So despite playing deeper, messi still had more throughballs, assists, key passes and similar amounts of goals per game, but no CR7 is as good a passer and goal scorer as messi, you do know how flawed your argument sounded right? Heck you might as well say CR7 is better than Federer in tennis, but because he preferred football hence Federer had better tennis stats than CR7, thats how stupid your argument is
Indeed CR7 is a biggest threat in the box and is far more determined than messi in the box as well. However, the poster has a goodpoint. If there are already supply lines to the box, CR7 is more dangerous, but if there are no supply lines or my team is being pinned back, messi is more dangerous. And to answer that even bigger CR7 fanboy that even yourself, no I am not lying, messi and cr7 has 2 different optimization skillset, so it depends on who else i have on the field
How do you come to the conclusion that he's better at things he barely does? What good is his striking power if Messi scores more goals from further distances than him?
As for the more flair and trickery, how often does he actually beat players?
What does that part mean? He hasn't been much of a dribbler for a long time.
Back 5/6 was in reference to the entire defense / central midfielders.
Since 2016 Portugal have been significantly better by ELO and I'd argue that doesn't fully capture the difference - look at the team Argentina started in the 2014 WC final: Romero / Rojo - Garay - Demichelis - Zabaleta / Biglia - Mascherano / Messi - Lavezzi - Perez / Higuain. Compare that to the Portugal side that started the Euro final in 2016: Patricio / Guerreiro - Fonte - Pepe - Cedric / Carvalho / Mario - Silva - Sanches / Ronaldo - Nani. The only Argentinians making it into that Portugal side are Mascherano and Messi.
Irrelevant when Messi is far better than him at dribbling.
It is funny how you wrote it that way.
In reality, Messi's goal-scoring prowess is just as good as Ronaldo's. You can argue Ronaldo's a bit better, because of his aerial prowess. However, I think Ronaldo takes more bad shots than Messi does, so perhaps they are equal.
Whereas, Messi is levels above Ronaldo as a 'playmaker'.
You're absolutely deluded or incredibly stupid if you think Ronaldo is as good as Messi at playmaking but he just chooses not toPlaymaking is regarded as more difficult than goalscoring generally, that's why Maradona, Zidane and Ronaldinho are all rated higher than Gerd Muller - if Ronaldo could playmake like Messi could, then he would - if Messi can playmake and also score as many as Ronaldo then surely that's flaw in Ronaldo's career.
We saw Ronaldo playing more of a creative role for United and early in his Real Madrid days and he has never shown the level of vision, consistency or technique that Messi has with his passing. Not even his most loyal fans in @SportingCP96 or @Peyroteo will claim otherwise. It's honestly a bizarre opinion to have when Ronaldo has so many other great attributes.
He is the 3rd highest in assists in La Liga history despite playing further up the field. Perhaps if you opened your eyes and stopped with the agenda against him you would realize this. Like I said, he can do that more if he wanted to, but he is better being on the end of those passes than making them himself. This is pretty basic stuff and shouldn't be that hard to understand...
Yes
Zabaleta easily gets in, Fonte could also be replaced, if the 14 team was fully fit Aguero and Di Maria would also make it.
Edit - Messi vs Ronaldo debate is still retarded.
Dude, Ronaldo is the 3rd all time assist leader in La Liga history despite not being known for his passing. Perhaps you Messi fan boys should open your eyes a bit and pay closer attention
Again, how can ANYONE say that Ronaldo can't create? Again, he is 3rd all time in assists in La Liga. The thing is, he is such a good goal scorer, people tend to over look just how good of a passer he is...
Seems like a bunch of Messi fan boys got their knickers in a bunch today. Sorry for giving you the facts
This is actually a very good way of resolving this debate once and for all! Worthy of a poll @Damien
Seems like a bunch of Messi fan boys got their knickers in a bunch today. Sorry for giving you the facts
Dude, you said that Ronaldo is a better play maker than Messi. Do you really think you should call anybody a fanboy?
Dude, Ronaldo is the 3rd all time assist leader in La Liga history despite not being known for his passing. Perhaps you Messi fan boys should open your eyes a bit and pay closer attention
I mean you're the one proclaiming Ronaldo can pass like Messi does, but he chooses not to.
That's complete nonsense.
Zabaleta I'll concede I suppose. Fonte for me is better than Garay or Demichelis by a not-insignificant margin. And Aguero didn't make it in over Higuain!
It does not
it absolutely does by literally every metric. You are beyond deluded wtf
Wow look at that 3rd goal. That is something that is put on a plate all the time to every player at Barcelona because everyone is made to play in a certain way. Barcelona have a certain way of football that only Barcelona can play; even when they are shit.
I'd just love to see him play one season in a different tactic to really see if he can be this creator, dribbler, finisher, creature in a different team that doesnt play so fluidly all the time.
If he could and got half the record he gets at Barcelona then all the fans would just shut up and say this is the best.
Why didnt he just move
| Messi | Ronaldo | |
| Games | 869 | 1015 |
| Goals | 704 | 739 |
| Ratio | 0.810 | 0.728 |
So the main thing Ronaldo has, Messi does even better
It happens to almost every key players out there though as opponents will always try to focus more on marking out the key players and setup their team in the way to cancel out opponents game in the final, hence most final are “boring“ as compared to semi etc
Remember Maradona in 86 WC? His form dips in final compared to earlier knockout rounds too, that doesn’t stop him becoming GOAT based on his overall 86 WC performance.
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Over 200 games from Ronaldo are played as midfield winger in 442. You really think it’s fair to compare goals stats by midfielder vs forward player?
Messi Ronaldo Games 869 1015 Goals 704 739 Ratio 0.810 0.728
So the main thing Ronaldo has, Messi does even better
I'm really not sure why you'd spend time putting either player down, they are both great players, it's just a preference which one you like, I think Ronaldo as he's changed leagues and still scores, Messi has natural talent, where as Ronaldo turned himself into a powerful athlete, just appreciate them while we can.
Don't you know that they always change goalposts to make a point?
Not going to debate Messi vs Ronaldo in passing/playmaking, because Messi is simply better playmaker.
But I do think Ronaldo is underrated in his passing/ability to create goals. He is very good crosser actually, and his main role during his early years at Man Utd is to create chances and provide goals, with his runs in the wing and crossing. Sure he is not at Messi level in playmaking and providing those throughballs etc, but I reckon he is better crosser at the very least.
I still see Ronaldo as the greatest CL player, I was just responding to the fact that the other poster feels it was such a homerun call to have Ronaldo off the bench in the final, when the stats point to otherwise more often than not in those situations of the CL final.
Is there an underlying sentiment that playing through the middle is more respectable than whipping in a cross?
I mean, that's a major reason why Barcelona, among other successful teams in CL (namely Madrid in 2014-2018), is put on a pedestal and Ronaldo is considered as "can't create", isn't it?
People couldn't understand how Madrid won the CL 3 times in the row. People also couldn't understand why Ronaldo has that many assists. Then they look at the highlights and they think "it's just hoof-ball, it's all luck".
Especially on the forum of a club that has a tradition of flying wingers running down the side line and centering the ball. It's so bizarre.
I mean, that's a major reason why Barcelona, among other successful teams in CL (namely Madrid in 2014-2018), is put on a pedestal and Ronaldo is considered as "can't create", isn't it?
People couldn't understand how Madrid won the CL 3 times in the row. People also couldn't understand why Ronaldo has that many assists. Then they look at the highlights and they think "it's just hoof-ball, it's all luck".
Especially on the forum of a club that has a tradition of flying wingers running down the side line and centering the ball. It's so bizarre.
You’re right. It’s worth noting however that Messi has 169 and Ronaldo has 95. This may be slightly off topic but also found out Messi is the all time top la Liga goal scorer, top la Liga hat tricks, top la Liga goals scored in a single season. Tops every statistic category other than goalkeeper stats and most appearances. RidiculousDude, Ronaldo is the 3rd all time assist leader in La Liga history despite not being known for his passing. Perhaps you Messi fan boys should open your eyes a bit and pay closer attention
Also since when are assists the measuring stick for passing ability? Doesn't Benzema have more assists than Xavi and Iniesta?
Messi Ronaldo Games 869 1015 Goals 704 739 Ratio 0.810 0.728
So the main thing Ronaldo has, Messi does even better
I miss this is a pedantic point considering anyone who followed their careers. Ronaldo played as rm for those first 150 games of his career whereas Messi has always played as part of a front 3.
I suggest you take a look at their heat maps throughout the years..
I don't get how people can claim that one is better than the other after all they achieved in the last 10-15y. It's mindboggling.
I rate Ronaldo higher but in the end, it's more a matter of taste than anything else.
They both are the core reason why their teams achieved what they achieved, both broke a sh*t ton of records along the way and they are without any doubt 2 of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Depending on how you decide to measure (since it's not really a science) you can argue that Messi is a more natural footballer while Ronaldo is pretty much the apex athlete but if you a look at their careers, the end result it's pretty much the same (with a few exceptions).
In on end, you have Messi that is a threat anywhere in the attack since he is just as good creating goals as he is at scoring them but when he's having a bad game / being shut down his team is pretty much playing with 1 less player. He doesn't run, he doesn't try, and just accepts there's nothing he can do to change the outcome of the match.
On the other end, you have Ronaldo. Easily one of the best finishers this game ever seen, he always seems to know where the ball is going to drop inside the box, can shoot with the left foot from any range, can shoot with the right foot from any range, he's the best aerial player I ever saw and although his playmaker abilities are seriously underrated he is one level under Messi in that department.
The big difference for me is that Ronaldo having a bad game / being shut down still scores or still tries to win no matter what the odds are. That mentality alone alongside his talent for me is what makes me rate him higher.
I honestly don't care who is the "greatest", I love watching Messi play and I love watching Ronaldo but at the end of the day, Ronaldo is the player I would want in my team.
PS: For all stat lovers out there, to make a fair comparison between both you should use stats from the 9y that both played in the same league since Ronaldo for most of his Man Utd career was a pure winger (although stats don't really matter without context)
I rate Ronaldo higher but in the end, it's more a matter of taste than anything else.
They both are the core reason why their teams achieved what they achieved, both broke a sh*t ton of records along the way and they are without any doubt 2 of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Depending on how you decide to measure (since it's not really a science) you can argue that Messi is a more natural footballer while Ronaldo is pretty much the apex athlete but if you a look at their careers, the end result it's pretty much the same (with a few exceptions).
In on end, you have Messi that is a threat anywhere in the attack since he is just as good creating goals as he is at scoring them but when he's having a bad game / being shut down his team is pretty much playing with 1 less player. He doesn't run, he doesn't try, and just accepts there's nothing he can do to change the outcome of the match.
On the other end, you have Ronaldo. Easily one of the best finishers this game ever seen, he always seems to know where the ball is going to drop inside the box, can shoot with the left foot from any range, can shoot with the right foot from any range, he's the best aerial player I ever saw and although his playmaker abilities are seriously underrated he is one level under Messi in that department.
The big difference for me is that Ronaldo having a bad game / being shut down still scores or still tries to win no matter what the odds are. That mentality alone alongside his talent for me is what makes me rate him higher.
I honestly don't care who is the "greatest", I love watching Messi play and I love watching Ronaldo but at the end of the day, Ronaldo is the player I would want in my team.
PS: For all stat lovers out there, to make a fair comparison between both you should use stats from the 9y that both played in the same league since Ronaldo for most of his Man Utd career was a pure winger (although stats don't really matter without context)
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Nah you meaure the quality of someone's passing ability by watching their passing ability. Giggs has more assists than Scholes but he wasn't a better passer. Assists will always favour the players playing closest to the box unless you haeve a midfielder who pings a long range pass in a counterattack that lands directly at the striker who scores a goal from that chance.
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