Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

And he'll probably still be able to bang in more at that age than the midget.

Without a doubt in my mind Ronaldo is the better player.

Let me first say that Messi is a superb player, one of the best players of all time. The way he runs with the ball with it stuck to his feet is amazing to watch. He is the modern day Maradona and he scores goals for fun. He is creative, he goes past players for fun and his goalscoring record for Barca is out of this world. Some of the things that Messi does and has done is just unreal and no manager in the world would turn him down.

BUT for me Ronaldo is more of a match winner because you can't keep him down. That might sound odd because Messi wins games, Messi is a match winner and when you score the number of goals and the types of goals that Messi has scored then of course you are a match winner. But Ronaldo scores all kinds of goals. He scores with his left, he scores with his right and he scores with his head. He goes past players for fun, he runs at people, he commits players, he scores long range efforts, he scores tap ins, he scores free kicks and penalties. You can kick him and he will get up and go again. You can kick him for 90 minutes but he has so much in his armour that you can't stop him for the whole game.

Ronaldo is the best player I have ever seen and one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. His record for United was sensational and his record for Real has been even better. We have all seen Ronaldo go from a skinny kid with skills who frustrated fans to a goalscoring machine who is strong and physical as well as lightening quick. He has individual ability by the bucket load but he also can do a job for the team in the way he makes runs and draws players away from his team mates.

Lets not also forget that Ronaldo is scoring goals for a team that has goalscorers in a number of areas. He scored like 30 goals last season in a team that had Higuain score well over 20 goals. He is not the player that Real create all of their chances for. he is a player that makes chances as well for his team mates. Messi is the main goalscorer for Barca and they do rely a lot on his goals and do create a lot of chances for him.

Proper Irish votes that boy.

I voted Ronaldo ...I'm a real Irish man

The majority of your post is spot on, but I think Messi is a more effective player.

I disagree with the part in bold because Messi has played with several goal scorers during his time with Barcelona e.g Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Ibrahimović, Villa, Pedro, etc.

He creates just as many chances for his teammates as Ronaldo does for his.

Rooney - One of the most dynamic players the premiership has seen (before he got made into Sir Scores-a-lot)
Scholes - One of the best passers the game has ever seen and generally seen as one of the prems best ever players.
Giggs - IS RYAN GIGGS

Add to that Tevez, Hargreaves+Nani+Anderson (who all had pretty big seasons in 2008)

I'd rather have our lot than there's. I think in those players Ronaldo had quality along side him... I think more is made of the whole 'Ronaldo carried us' claim than is true in my opinion, but can't be arsed opening that can of worms again.

Suffice to say, Ronaldo for me.

Just thing ronaldo has everything in the game... messi can dribble, skin players and win games on his own...

ronaldo can run at players, score from 40 yards or 4 yards, he's immense in the air, he's immensly strong. I've never seen anyone get so much power in a shot with so little backlift, the guy is incredible, one of THE best players i have ever seen, personaly, twice the player messi is... watching him play sends a shiver down my spine, i remember the first time i saw him at OT. wow.

I prefer both of them.......I want the best of both worlds.

23 goals from 37 matches last season, and he is a more of a team player. A fit Arjen Robben is as good as Messi and Ronaldo.

Agree to disagree - we'll never see a fully fit Robben

no one is as good as ronaldo...or messi


definitely not robben who can get muscled out from matches...ronaldo can't


ronaldo has scored 51 goal in 54 matches which is incredible...almost as incredible as messi's 69 in 71 !

I just think Ronaldo scoring 51 in 54 goals is more impressive than Messi's. Don't get me wrong Messi's record is insane but Ronaldo is not that far behind him. Also lets remember that Messi has been at Barca since the beginning of his career, he knows the club inside out and is in a very settled team under a manager who has been there for a good 3 seasons? Jose has come in to Real and has new idea's. Real have also spent a lot of money on players, some have settled in while others haven't.

Messi's goalscoring record has only really come to the fore once players like Ronaldinho and co left, Villa has not been as prolific for Barca but he has scored a fair few I admit. Ronaldo is not overshadowed by anyone. Higuain got over 25 goals last season yet Ronaldo still scored more and Real have more players who will get goals on a more regular basis. You look at Barca and players like Xavi and Iniesta are brilliant but they are there to create and not score. Everything is centred around Messi, he plays where he wants to play which is right because he is that good. Ronaldo is playing for a manager who yes lets him roam a bit but also demands him to be more tactically aware.

how the fuck is 51 in 54 more impressive than 69 in 71 ????

i agree with the rest of your post but that can only be as impressive at best...certainly not more impressive

This thread will be interesting tomorrow night.
Thanks to the elections we get some great Monday night football.
I fancy a tight, high scoring game. 3-2 to Barca. There will be fireworks.
Messi with 2 and Ronaldo with 1.

Because Ronaldo is in a new league, in a new team which has changed a lot and has not been together long that is why. Because this season a new manager has come in with new idea's. Messi is in a settled side, Messi has a manager who knows the players very well and a squad that on the whole has been together for a number of years. That is why it is more impressive. Most players take time to settle down and really find their feet, but Ronaldo has gone to Real and already scored 50 goals for the club. The quickest in the clubs history and that is a club that have had World Class greats over the years. That is why I believe it is more impressive.

i retract my question in shame

Messi, Ronaldo might be a tad more complete as far as skills are concerned, and might be more of a physical presence, but Ive seen Messi do it against anybody, Ronaldo struggles with big important matches.

That's the most retarded **** I've ever read. Name one good match he's had for Argentina.

Please stop, your blindness brought on by your hate towards barcelona makes you look like a ******* idiot. you are trying to compare their form for their respective national sides when Ronaldo has been absolutely dire since being named portugals captain. Also I remember Messi being outstanding against Spain not too long ago either. Apart from the Portuguese, only United and Real fans would even consider Ronaldo being better than Messi.

I don't know. Messi was definitely superior in El Classico. However I'd still have Ronaldo over him if I were making a team.