Who is better Messi or Ronaldo? A Detailed Comparison of Their Careers

There is a saying in football that the world is divided into two types of people: Ronaldo fans or Messi fans. Which side are you on? So who is better Messi or Ronaldo? Everyone has their own reasons for admiring these two great superstars, but there is no denying that there are many statistics that show Ronaldo is better than Messi. Let’s see why with Premiumsoccertips.net!

The never-ending rivalry: who is better, Messi or Ronaldo

The debate over who is the better player – Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi – is one of the most controversial topics in football and sports in general. Over time, the debate has evolved from “who plays better” to “who is the greatest of all time,” also known as the GOAT.

Everyone has their own opinions and preferences, but many sports experts agree that Ronaldo is the better player compared to Messi, with many undeniable reasons supporting this view. Before diving into the details, let’s take a look back at the careers of these two geniuses, as they contain many elements that contribute to today’s outcome.

Cristiano Ronaldo career summary

His full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, commonly known by his nickname CR7. He is a Portuguese footballer born on February 5, 1985.

Ronaldo officially began his football career at Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), progressing through the U15, U17, and U19 teams. His impressive performance for Sporting Lisbon, especially in the 3-1 victory over the renowned Manchester United before the start of the new season, caught the attention of Manchester United, who signed him in August 2003 for a transfer fee of 19 million euros.

During his time at Manchester United, Ronaldo cemented his status as one of the world’s top players, claiming 3 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League trophy, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups, and numerous other accolades. During his time at MU, the young star impressed fans worldwide with his all-around play, consistent ball control, dribbling skills, and regular goal-scoring and assisting.

His remarkable performances earned him numerous individual awards, with the pinnacle being the 2008 Ballon d’Or, which solidified his position as the number one player in world football. Since then, Ronaldo has only continued to rise, setting a world transfer record when joining Real Madrid in 2009 and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest footballers in history.

Later, CR7 moved to Juventus and has now returned to Manchester United. He is also the captain of the Portuguese national team and has won two international titles: the Euro and the Nations League.

Summary of Lionel Messi’s Career

Lionel Andres Messi, born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina, is his full name.

Lionel Messi began his football career in 1994 at Newell’s Old Boys before moving to Barcelona’s youth academy in 2000, when he was just 13 years old. His innate football talent helped him rise through the club’s youth teams, and after just three years, he made his debut in a friendly match against FC Porto on November 16, 2003, at the age of 16.

However, Messi’s official first match came nearly a year later, in an away derby against Espanyol on October 16, 2004. Since then, Messi continued to progress at Barcelona, scoring his first goal in 2005 and gradually establishing himself as one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning 6 Ballon d’Or titles, 10 La Liga championships, 4 Champions League trophies, and numerous other honors.

Recently, Messi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain and is the captain of the Argentina national team.

5 Reasons Why Ronaldo Is Better Than Messi

Of course, it’s not easy to conclude who is better, as both Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the pinnacle of world football for over a decade, winning almost every coveted title, and thus both deserve to be celebrated rather than compared. However, for loyal fans, the debate over who is truly the GOAT is inevitable. So why do many people believe Ronaldo is better than Messi?

1. Ronaldo is a more complete player

Messi is a genius, and his strengths lie in his skillful left foot, his “magical” dribbling ability, and his natural play with the ball. But in reality, Messi also has some significant weaknesses, such as his heading ability or his physicality when battling opponents.

On the other hand, Ronaldo has almost no weaknesses: he is proficient with both feet, can score with his head, and possesses excellent physical strength. His jumping ability and perfect heading have even earned him nicknames like “CR7 Airways.” If you follow the young Ronaldo from his early days at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, you’ll see that he’s also very skilled at dribbling and playmaking.

Another characteristic that proves Ronaldo’s all-around ability is that he can threaten the opponent’s goal at any minute of the game: statistics show that Ronaldo is the first player in football history to score in every minute of a 90-minute match.

Additionally, Ronaldo holds 57 hat tricks in his career, an incredible number, even though Messi is only 2 hat tricks behind. But the remarkable thing is that CR7 has scored 9 “perfect hat tricks,” meaning 3 goals with his left foot, right foot, and head in a single match. Meanwhile, Messi has never scored a perfect hat trick like that.

2. Ronaldo has scored more goals

As of now, CR7 has scored 798 goals in his career compared to Messi’s 755 goals. Ronaldo is also the top scorer in the Champions League and the highest-scoring player for his national team, with 103 goals compared to Messi’s 70.

3. Ronaldo often shines in crucial moments

A great player is someone who can overcome pressure and shine at critical moments to lift the team. Ronaldo is a prime example of this; he has often “carried the team” in major competitions, even helping the team come from behind to win. In contrast, Messi occasionally “disappears” in important matches.

4. Ronaldo has achieved more success at the top level

Ronaldo not only possesses a more complete playing style and has scored more goals, but he has also proven his worth in three of the world’s top leagues (England, Spain, and Italy), as well as winning the highest continental titles for both club and national team. It can be said that wherever Ronaldo has gone, he has left an indelible mark.

Messi can be proud of the number of titles he won with Barcelona, but he has not been able to replicate that form when leaving the club, especially with the Argentina national team as captain, where he has suffered 4 final defeats, including in the FIFA World Cup and Copa America. In 2021, Argentina won the Copa America, but Messi’s performance was not particularly impressive.

In contrast, Ronaldo has never lost his top form at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now back at Manchester United. He is also the captain of the national team that won Euro 2016 – Portugal’s first major international title.

5. Ronaldo is better in set-piece situations

Set pieces are very important and can sometimes be the key to winning or losing a match, including penalty kicks, direct free kicks, and corners.

Ronaldo is a master of set pieces. This is proven by the statistics so far: CR7 has scored 141 penalties (out of 169 attempts) compared to Messi’s 101 goals (out of 130 attempts). This means Messi’s penalty conversion rate is 77.7%, while Ronaldo’s is 83.4%. Ronaldo’s consistent performance from the penalty spot has led rival fans to call him “Penaldo”.

Regarding direct free kicks, Ronaldo has scored 56 goals, while Messi has 58. However, if we look more closely, in recent years Ronaldo has taken fewer free kicks compared to before, while Messi is almost always the first choice when his team is awarded a free kick.

Finally, for corners, although Ronaldo rarely takes these kicks, he remains a significant threat in front of the opponent’s goal due to his incredible jumping ability and powerful, precise headers—factors that have helped him score numerous goals from teammates’ corner kicks.

Conclusion

Above is a detailed analysis of 5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo surpasses Lionel Messi. These factors include the variety in playing style, the ability to shine in multiple top leagues, and success with different clubs. Additionally, Ronaldo stands out with his hard work, exceptional physical fitness, and ability to score goals from various positions. All of these elements contribute to making him a better player than Messi in many aspects. Do you agree with these views? Please share your opinion in the comments below so we can discuss further!

See more: When did messi join inter miami? How much did inter miami pay for messi?