Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

The fight has been going on for YEARS. The two best young talents since Ronaldo in 1999.
Stats- CR7 - 54 Appearances, 53 Goals, 14 Assists
LM10 - 55 Appearances, 53 Goals, 24 Assists
So whos better?
-Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are both ruthless finishers. There's no need to compare there. They are the last people you want on a breakaway against your team.
-They're both extremely speedy, with Leo on the edge on Acceleration and CR7 on the edge in Sprint Speed
-Ronaldo is a beast in the air. he can score a header from almost anywhere. Now you can't blame MEssi for his height so we'll leave Leo out of this for now
-Vision : Lionel has just OUTSTANDING vision. Those 24 assists didn't come from anywhere you know. But not that Ronaldo doesn't have great vision either. It's just that CR7's isn't good enough for him to use every time he touches the ball. So Messi wins this one. Undoubtedly.
-Ronaldo can score from ANYWHERE. Distance. Penlties. Headers. Dribbles. Set Pieces.
Not that Leo can't score from these but he just isn't as good as the Beast over in this category.

• Dribbling : Ronaldo=Tricks Messi=Magic
  Lionel Messi is the BEST dribbler I have seen. The guy just floats past the defenders without even breaking a sweat. Sometimes I think that God kinda over-powered the guy.
  Ronaldo is a brilliant dribbler. His tricks, finesse, and touch of the ball is unmatched, but I don't find his dribbling as effective as Messi's because Ronaldo needs space to dribble, and if he can't find that space he shoots for goal.
• Stamina : I think CR7 wins this one. Messi only improved his stamina this year, he had crap stamina before. Ronaldo always keeps sprinting to the full 90 minutes.

Overall jurisdiction : Messi wins. Barely. As a Real Madrid fan I would not hesitate to say that Messi wins. But I hope I gave you guys some brain food because Leo is in a team full of playmakers, Ronaldo can only get the attention of the likes of Ozil, di Maria, and Benzema. So feel free to criticize and share your opinions. Chao

I was always a fan of CR since he played in United, but watching Barcelona play every week, Messi is just keeps getting better and better, he barely makes any mistakes during his time on the field. Amazing foot work, great shots, team players, has great understanding with his team mates, so for me Messi, is currently the best player in the world, with Cristiano Ronaldo second best. BUT I will always be interested to see Messi play in some other team, because maybe he's only the best because of his team mates, with whom he has such great understanding, where as Ronaldo played in 3 different teams, where he was and still is the best.

I think Messi and Ronaldo are equal in terms of skill but if it comes to character and sportsmanship...messi's the complete footballer...but that's just my opinion!

Messi is better but C.ronaldo has great talent too

Ronaldo all the way go ahead and dislike the comment haters ;)

Ronaldo is my favorite

They're both perfect players to have.

I think Ronaldo definitely has more ability than Messi. If you look at Ronaldo he looks like a true athlete and Messi doesn't even look like he works out. But Messi has turned his weakness (height) into a strength, he is more comfortable with the ball on the ground and can weave his way through defenders because of his low centre of gravity. But when you compare him with Ronaldo, Ronaldo wins on every stage (for me) simply because Ronaldo is truly a complete player....finishing, dribbling, distance shooting, freekicks, strength, everything.
Messi's success is also because he is in a team with players like Iniesta, Xavi who can keep the ball to give it to Messi and because tiki-taka is his kinda thing. Messi has to prove himself outside of Barcelona (but he doesn't do well for Argentina, does he?) and only then will I consider him better.

If you were to put them in a one on one match I don't think poor Messi would even get the ball.

5 years later and Messi is still better

@KTB Seem like I'm not the only one reviving old thread these day. XD Still, I agree with you, if only because Messi is more complete than Ronaldo (better at passing for exemple). Though I feel its a bit unfair to compare them nowaday as Ronaldo is getting a bit older now.

You awoke my curiosity. In hindsight, people write a lot of stuff that they probably wouldn't had they known the outcome of things, or just because they've matured or whatever. Found a funny post on whether Neymar was a good player or not.. and another funny one when people were sure Hazard wouldn't go to Chelsea.. lol

@KTB Indeed, its kind of like a time capsule in a way. And its sure interesting to see how wrong people opinion sometime were about some stuff. :D

I still think that, in terms of individual skill, they were both roughly equal. But circumstances led to one being more successful on a club level than the other. Overall Messi has the greater legacy, but in their prime I thought that they were pretty much the same in terms of talent and skill.

@Dynastian98 Also, Ronaldo has proven himself able in another most physical league, something Messi cannot say he did. At the end of the day, they are different player who had different experience, so its not that evident to say that one is better than the other.

reviving old threads seems pretty fun when it's about interesting things!

@liomessi Indeed, but it can sometime lead to tragedy. :(

Is this even an argument? Messi is the greatest of all time

^It was an argument 5 years ago. But now I am thinking the same with you :)

@emobot i know :(
like the divers one...

Cristiano is much better fighter for his country, Messi is only for 1 team.

5 years later and Ronaldo still the greatest of all time.