For me Messi Vs Ronaldo was always different to different fans due to their different views on Football, similar to how kids in school might decide different to each other what subject to study or be when he grows up.
To some fans, the technique of the football player is the most important thing in the sport, its the most beautiful thing. It's what they watch and base alot of their favourite moments and players over. This was Messi - the most beautiful player to play the game with both his goals and assists.
However, the way I saw it - just like an artists ability to create a wonderful piece of Art; the artist also needs the right surface to do so. The right bits, pieces or environment to do so.
Then there is Ronaldo. Who was technically gifted but not exactly an artist. He was not that interested in a career as an artist so he toned down his technical aspect to be more of a scientist. This is because he had a scientific theory that he wanted to see if true - that he was the best football player of all time & wanted to prove it by testing himself in front of everyone and everywhere.
Ronaldo was more the mentality or mindset of a scientist like Albert Einstein and its influence on the human body rather than the the artistic brilliance of Messi or Picasso.
As we saw Messi consistently making great pieces of art with the same board, same paint, same city, same helpers, same enemy with same weaknesses - some people fell in love. They couldn't believe they were seeing such art being created to such unbelievable consistency with feeling of such ease.
On the other hand in his labs, Ronaldo didn't care about the art, he was a scientist ready to prove a new hypothesis towards scientific based acceptance. He wanted to visit the best scientists in the world and prove that what he thought was right.
Leaving Sporting, he joins the Premier League - many who think it's the hardest league in the world with its varying styles of football (consisting of 19 tough teams you constantly face than only facing 2-5 teams in a league that may give you a tough day at their best). Ronaldo arrives and does it at Manchester United in 2008; arguably is part of the best United team version of all time that many have seen. He does it under arguably the best manager of all time with no particularly tactical playstyle; still some are starting now to believe.
He goes to Spain, a league using much more on the floor football and he adapts his game to that, becoming more simplified. League titles, CL's and goals with such a variety of managers with different playstyles from Benitez, Ancelotti, Jose, Zidane and more. Any manager, any time, any opposition, any tactic - this is starting to look scientific true. A wonderful bicycle kick Vs Juventus feel like it's their turn in Italy to get him.
He goes to Italy and wins the local titles and scores bucket loads of goals with ease with managers like Pirlo. Another group of scientists start to see what Ronaldo is about - even the oldest version. Then he comes back to the hardest league in the world and ends up still wowing the public with his findings - much more than the artist who changed his environment and changed his arts & craft pieces only for it not to be as great as before; whilst even being younger. The national team views Ronaldo as a legend for his achievements too, whilst Argentina have had more successful trophy winners.
Ronaldo simply was a scientist and not an artist - a scientist wanting, going and trying to prove to everyone and everywhere that he was the greatest footballer of all time. Its got data and its shown in different areas of the world, consistent over the world for any team, any manager, any tactic and for any person - just like Isaac Newtons apple falling down on his head ended up proving Gravity. SIUUUUU!
