Every football fan has an opinion here, arguments on which is better happen each day and the players themselves are constantly outdoing eachother on the pitch. But which player do I think is the best?
Lionel Messi
The crucial figure in a magnificent team, perhaps the greatest team of all time. FC Barcelona are known for producing superstars, Messi is just one of a long list of successes including Iniesta, Pedro, Xavi, Valdes and Carles Puyol among others. The difference is none of his teammates scored 53 goals in all competitions in the 2010-11 season.
The Argentine is known for many things. His finishing ability is sublime, it’s not often you speak of him missing a 1-on-1. His rapport with fellow players is important to Barcelona’s tactics, 24 assists last season says it all. However it’s his dribbling that has caught the eye of the footballing world with Maradona-esque goals being regular in the player’s career. Notably his blistering run in the first leg of the 2010-11 Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Another factor when judging the career of this already great talent is his personality. On the one hand he doesn’t have the charisma that Diego Maradona did; he lacks the field presence that Paul Scholes or Zinadine Zidane possessed and you could say he isn’t a natural leader like John Terry or Nemanja Vidic for example. However he certainly plays the game the right way. In the past he has dived on occasion (who hasn’t these days?) and in one instance spat at an opponent, but these instances are rare and overshadowed by how Messi behaves in a ‘normal match’. For a player that wiggles and dribbles through defenders all match long rarely do you see him pointlessly throwing himself to the floor and rolling around as though he’s been shot. Unlike many modern day footballers.
Messi is mainly known for his Barcelona career, somewhat in its shadow is his international career with Argentina. Never for his country has he achieved the same form or success as he has with his Catalan club, this begs the question of whether the player just isn't the same without Xavi, Iniesta and co. In 60 international appearances Messi has achieved 17 goals and 17 assists, this doesn't sound bad but he failed to hit the back of the net in either the 2010 FIFA World Cup or the 2011 Copa América, his only World Cup goal coming in 2006. His international success will be looked at when being compared to any fellow footballer, he needs to step it up in the remainder of his career.
So he is quite rightly considered to be the best player in the world, quite rightly raved about in the media and deserves all of the trophies he has won with FC Barcelona. But he has a rival in Cristiano Ronaldo, a rival that I believe is better.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The star player in a team glittered with stars. Ronaldo possesses all the flair and skill needed to succeed in football, and this guy has. He won everything there was to be won with Man Utd, scoring goals in FA Cup, Champions League and League Cup finals as well as many goals in the league to help the Manchester club to yet more titles. In 2009 he made a record £80 million move to Real Madrid and since then he's won the Copa Del Rey and scored 90 goals in 92 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants. Impressive, but how does he compare to Mr Messi?
Ronaldo is one of the most complete players in the game. He's regularly scored goals with powerful long range shots and free kicks, unbeatable headed attempts, cool finishes and solo goals worthy of the recognition they get. He is sometimes called 'selfish', however in his club career he has managed 71 assists to go with his 213 goals. Not bad for a 26 year old who has spent the majority of his playing career in the toughest league in the world with Man Utd.
People have wrongly criticized Ronaldo's personality when judging him as a player. He's by no means perfect but like Messi all he wants to do is play football. For example in the recent Spanish SuperCup vs FC Barcelona as usual the match erupted into a touchline brawl with most players and staff getting involved. Ronaldo stood off and watched, clearly he wanted to just get on with the match, something you have to admire him for. Sure he is known for the occasional dive and is easily frustrated when he or his team aren't playing too well but his sometimes controversial self is exaggerated. He certainly doesn't lack charisma, or presence on the field but he doesn't make captains material for me.
As well as a hugely successful club career Ronaldo has had a decent international career as well. With Portugal he has been capped 82 times scoring 27 goals in the process. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup Portugal reached the semi final before eventually being beaten by France, Ronaldo scored once as well as finishing a penalty shoot-out off with a penalty which sent England home. In 2010 Portugal had a tough time, being drawn in a group against Brazil and then meeting Spain in the round of 16, a match which knocked the Portuguese out. Ronaldo scored once, just as he did in Euro 2008, a tournament in which his side were knocked out in the quarter finals. Far from impressive, but unlike Messi he isn't surrounded by talent.
So, who's best?
I believe the better player is Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi is by far the best dribbler, not just between the two, but in the world. However I feel that Ronaldo is the more complete player. How often does Messi score a powerful header or a 30 yard free-kick? How often does Messi score long range goals such as Ronaldo's for Man Utd against FC Porto? Not very often, Messi is by far the best around at what he does but Ronaldo has proven himself in both the Premier League (widely believed to be the toughest in the world) and on the international stage (reaching a World Cup semi-final in 2006). Messi hasn't. I also believe that the Argentine's lack of magic for his national team is down to who he is playing alongside. By this I am saying that Messi for Barcelona is playing with the best midfielders in the game, midfielders that are there to assist Messi each time he moves and take the pressure off him somewhat. At Man Utd and now Real Madrid, Ronaldo has been playing with world class players, but not players of the same calibre meaning he has to work harder to keep the ball. As soon as Messi leaves the team (for example when he goes to play for his national side) he doesn't have Xavi and Iniesta to look after him and his influence isn't as big.
Who would I prefer in Stoke's team?
Can't I have both? Again I would pick Ronaldo, as I've already said he has Premier League experience. Add to that he loves a physical match and his height would flourish with Stoke's style of play. Just like Messi, Ronaldo loves getting the ball into the box, a crosser of the ball is always welcome at the Britannia Stadium with players like Kenwyne Jones to aim for. Furthermore, Ronaldo has more strength than Messi, so if Pulis ever wants to play him at centre back (you know what he's like) he would have no problems there.
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