Ronaldo vs Messi

I realize this is likely an old topic, but I couldn't find a thread on it.

There are several recent quotes from Ronaldo saying he believes he is the best (over Messi) no doubt leading up to Balon de Oro (the annual publicity award!). What is the general consensus on this, who is the better player (not who should win Balon de Oro)?

I suspect there will be lots of pro Messi Barca views while there will be a lot of pro Ronaldo Madrid views.

My own personal view (and remember I am a life long Madridista (and my lifetime is at least double most of you)) is when one takes into consideration team play, team accomplishments (it is a team game after all and individual accomplishments / awards mean nothing if the team doesn't reach any accomplishments), it is Messi who is the better player.

They are no doubt the best players by a fairly large margin of this generation of players, but Ronaldo's selfish personal pursuit of individual accomplishments puts him a distance second not only for this past season (i.e Balon de Oro) but overall. There have been a couple of years where I do believe Ronaldo was more deserving of that individual award, but if you look at team accomplishments (not just Barca or Madrid but Argentina and Portugal), Messi stands out. You can also see this when watching their play / interaction with teammates both offensively and defensively (actually the mere mention of defense and Ronaldo in the same sentence is kind of weird).

I do find faults with Messi as well for instance I do not agree that he deserved the player of tournament in last WC (I would have taken Robben or Neuer before him), nor do I particularly like him (given he plays for 2 teams that I don't particularly favor), but you have to objectively look at these things and I feel without doubt that Messi is the best.

In 10 years time, Messi will be included with the best all time legends. I'm not so sure Ronaldo (even with all his goals) will be included in that list, particularly when one recognizes the changes in today's game vs the games from 10, 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years ago.

Messi and it's not even close.

Ronaldo and its not even close

Casciavit wrote:Messi and it's not even close.

Not sure how anyone can dispute this.

Is it even legal to compare them anymore?

Messi lol

Can't wait till Fraudiano leaves Madrid

Messi is better, but Cristiano is also an all time great. His bad luck if playing in the same period with a top 5 footballer.

Both are more or less on the same level. Messi edges it very slightly

Prefer Ronaldo though

Ronaldo isn't even the best player in Madrid

RealGunner wrote:Both are more or less on the same level. Messi edges it very slightly

Prefer Ronaldo though

Wow, some world class trolling u got there.

Having an opinion is trolling?

RealGunner wrote:Having an opinion is trolling?

No, but it's obviously wrong.

RealGunner wrote:Both are more or less on the same level. Messi edges it very slightly

Prefer Ronaldo though

RG you used to be Messi fanboy what happened.

Don't let stat padding fool you brah.

I will say this. It's clearly Messi for me but the gap is not as wide as most people here think it is.

Of course it isn't India to Los Angeles, but it's not as tight as RG thinks it is.

Well, the gap is actually wider than people think it is.

Bankz wrote:Well, the gap is actually wider than people think it is.

We need to go even wider imo.

I will always believe ronaldo is a better player then he lets himself to be. His ego is his greatest downfall. Messi is one of the greatest so its not a comparison.

but CR could be so much more then he is. And in the first half of the CL winning season, he was very, very good at not just scoring, he was passing, assisting, and even dribbling.

His personality and ego just lets him down so much. its such a waste in a sense

Besides scoring a bunch of goals and playing in the 2 biggest teams in the world, what do messi and Ronaldo really have in common playing wise?

I can't tell if people are being sarcastic here?

Messi is the GOAT. He doesn't need to prove shit anymore.

CR isn't even a better all around footballer than Suarez or Dishmar. He's at that level of course, but he isn't even undisputed second best let alone being compared to Messi.

Messi without a doubt, although to be consider one of the greatest of all times he has to perform better with Argentina, and i mean display the same level he does with Barcelona.

This is exactly why Cristiano is over-rated..or certainly not underrated like that thread suggested a while back.

Comparing him to Messi

It has never been close

At this point CR isn't even the 3rd best player in the world.

Stas- ronaldo
Legacy- messi