There is this on going argument that surrounds and captivates the footballing world. It is called "Who is Better, Messi or Ronaldo?" Well let's get this straight. There is no "better scale" that reads like a bar graph or thermometer. There is no true way to tell who is the more talented individual. However, there are plenty of stats and opinions that can be taken into one's own hands and this time it fell into mine.Ever since the young Argentine picked up the prestigious Ballon d'Or earlier this month, there have been a brigade of articles and press related debates pertaining to the two superstars. Marca did a study which they scored the two players 1-10 on attributes that would make up the "complete player." The results were as fallowed:
Collective Game
Cristiano Ronaldo 7
Messi 8
Individual Technique
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 9
Physicality
Cristiano Ronaldo 10
Messi 7
Pace
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 8
Dribbling
Cristiano Ronaldo 8
Messi 10
Shooting
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 8
Passing
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 9
Heading
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 7
Leadership
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 7
Free-kicks and Penalties
Cristiano Ronaldo 9
Messi 7
Add it up yourself if you want but no matter how u twist the numbers, Ronaldo was Marca's winner. Goal.com went on to practically plagiarize the work and created an exact same article using the same criteria and slightly different scores to judge each player. Not surprising that they came up with the result, Ronaldo. So why does Messi go on and win all the individual hardware this year? I'm going to try to put this to bed. So listen closely.
I recieved this text message from a close friend, a Barca supporter, and a trusted and reliable source when discussing this matter the other day.
"Messi is like a piece of Cheese lol....Alone its good not great but put that shit on a pizza or a sandwich and its a world class ingredient lol"
Profound isn't it? Pretty damn good way to put it. Messi is the player he is because of the system and style of football that Barcelona has adopted. The obsessive possesion and the quick intricate passing. Messi fits the system like a glove. The combination play allows the little guy to wriggle his way into the penalty area and slot home balls from close range. How many Barcelona goals are thumps that almost rip the netting right off the post from distance? I'm going to say close to zero. They are well designed crafty attacks that cause defenders to lose marks. Most Barca players are quick and deceiving on the dribble. They can create little pockets of space for themselves on the dribble so they can slide passes into other players who do something similar. After every pass there is movement. I can imagine it is a bitch to defend. That's probably why it is so successful. Messi is this kind of player. Don't think so? Take Messi and put him in a wide position at a team like Juventus. Besides the fact that you just can't picture him there at all, you just can't see him being the type of player he is because he isn't playing one-twos off of Xavi, Dani Alves, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Iniesta, ect... Maybe this sheds light on why he struggles to stand out for the Argentine National team as much as he does at Barcelona? They don't play the same brand of football as Barca do. Barcelona makes the Messi. Messi does not make the Barcelona.
I recieved this text message from a close friend, a Barca supporter, and a trusted and reliable source when discussing this matter the other day.
"Messi is like a piece of Cheese lol....Alone its good not great but put that shit on a pizza or a sandwich and its a world class ingredient lol"
Profound isn't it? Pretty damn good way to put it. Messi is the player he is because of the system and style of football that Barcelona has adopted. The obsessive possesion and the quick intricate passing. Messi fits the system like a glove. The combination play allows the little guy to wriggle his way into the penalty area and slot home balls from close range. How many Barcelona goals are thumps that almost rip the netting right off the post from distance? I'm going to say close to zero. They are well designed crafty attacks that cause defenders to lose marks. Most Barca players are quick and deceiving on the dribble. They can create little pockets of space for themselves on the dribble so they can slide passes into other players who do something similar. After every pass there is movement. I can imagine it is a bitch to defend. That's probably why it is so successful. Messi is this kind of player. Don't think so? Take Messi and put him in a wide position at a team like Juventus. Besides the fact that you just can't picture him there at all, you just can't see him being the type of player he is because he isn't playing one-twos off of Xavi, Dani Alves, Ibrahimovic, Henry, Iniesta, ect... Maybe this sheds light on why he struggles to stand out for the Argentine National team as much as he does at Barcelona? They don't play the same brand of football as Barca do. Barcelona makes the Messi. Messi does not make the Barcelona.
Ronaldo on the other hand is the kind of player that can succeed anywhere. He is more self-reliable. His game isn't exactly one-twos or combinations (although he has adapted to them very well in the Spanish Capital). He is a brute force. He uses speed to blow by defenders and possesses a palm breaking shot. He doesn't need anyone else to do that. Free kick opportunities light up the faces of Madridistas every where because we all know who is standing over the ball with the wide stance and shoulder shrug. He is a man that can change a game on his own. I'm not saying Messi can't but when the team isn't playing well, Ronaldo can pop out of no where, spring past two defenders, and drill a ball into the lower corner for a measly 1-0 result. He can make something out of nothing. Even Barcelona fans admit that Messi can fade in and out of games. Now can Messi change a game by himself? Absolutely. I'm just saying that is much more of a Ronaldo trait.
I'm not saying Ronaldo is better than Messi. I'm saying Messi's surroundings have turned him into an incredable footballer because of his surroundings, better than Ronldo is on his own. Both are extraordinary. Perhaps that's why Messi has been the recipient of the silverware this year. Like I said, there is not "betterness" meter or talent gage. I know I'm not the only one with an opinion. Let's here it.
Hala Madrid,
Bobby
I'm not saying Ronaldo is better than Messi. I'm saying Messi's surroundings have turned him into an incredable footballer because of his surroundings, better than Ronldo is on his own. Both are extraordinary. Perhaps that's why Messi has been the recipient of the silverware this year. Like I said, there is not "betterness" meter or talent gage. I know I'm not the only one with an opinion. Let's here it.
Hala Madrid,
Bobby
Crucial first article my friend....A well balanced argument that showed love to both players while still building a solid case for your choice. If I had a first pick in a pick up game I would pick Cristiano despite my blaugrana ties. Like you said above, he can do it all and has the physical attributes that can never be off form. One category I feel Messi impresses in is toughness, which was not in the study that either Marca or Goal.com did. In a league and team full of divers, Messi is a person who will try his best to fight and stay on his feet. He occasionally goes down easily but its not as often as many others that are twice his size. CR9 is tough too cuz of the many injuries he has fought and played with but i think Messi would win that catagory.
ReplyDeleteI agree my friend. Messi's priority is getting the job done. he doesnt go down cause he wants to score or complete the play. winning freekicks is not what he is about.
ReplyDeletehi
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