Ronaldo v Messi- The battle of two freaks of nature

The two greatest players in recent history are both at the pinnacle in their career. As a football fan both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two best players I have ever seen play the beautiful game.

The statistics for both players speak volumes as to how impressive they both are. Ronaldo and Messi consistently perform highly for their clubs. This season Ronaldo has played 33 games and scored 36 goals. Messi has played 36 games this season and scored 35 goals.

So how do two of the greatest players in modern football compare to each other?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s career took off when he joined Manchester United. During his five seasons at Manchester United he scored 84 goals and helped them win many trophies. Ronaldo built up a reputation of being a pin up footballer.

He has an unbelievable talent at striking a dead ball especially when taking a free kick. An example of this was the free kick he scored at Old Trafford against Portsmouth, the skill involved to get the ball up and over the wall and into the top corner of the net with David James stood helplessly watching the ball fly into the net was amazing.

When Ronaldo made the record move to Real Madrid for £80 million he continued on a regular basis to perform at a high standard. To date Ronaldo has scored 103 goals in 96 appearances that is a phenomenal record.

In the last two seasons Ronaldo has scored six hat tricks a season and is currently on 36 goals from 33 appearances. The only reason Ronaldo isn’t known as the world number one footballer is because of the man across the table.

Facts and figures alone speak volumes as to the class and ability this man possesses. Messi has won the top individual prize for a Footballer, taking home the Ballon d’Or for three consecutive seasons. He has scored 35 goals in 36 appearances and to date has played 213 times for Barcelona scoring 154 goals.

Many questioned Messi’s ability at the international stage and how he isn’t as influential for his country as he is for his club. The latest international match Messi answered his critics by scoring a hat trick for his country.

Only Ronaldo is as good as Messi on the ball in world football. When Messi is allowed time and space the result is usually a goal as he can glide past players with ease. For such a small player Messi has unbelievable strength and the only time he misses a match is because of suspension and that is rarely, it just shows how fit the man is.

However if I was to ask who is better Messi or Ronaldo, I would say that is a tough question. Personally Messi just edges as he has been a world class player throughout his career, right from the age of 19. Ronaldo agreeably is a world class player and if he played in any other era of football he would be the best player in the world be a mile. Both men are incredible athletes and fantastic footballers who are the best two players I have ever seen play football, certainly in my life time.

Daniel Clark @ClarkyD92

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