For over 15 years and counting this two footballing greats have held down the stage and have never let it go smashing records left, right and centre with reckless abandon, A man born and raised in Madeira, Portugal and another from Rosario in Argentina have played the round leather game like humans with Super powers, Are they truly from this planet?
Cristiano Ronaldo at a very young age had started giving thrilling performances with Portuguese League side, Sporting Lisbon and then a move to England came calling, Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world signed the emerging legend and great who has earned that status over the years with his impeccable performances.
After Manchester United a big money move to Spain was at the door he moved to Real Madrid for a world record fee at that point in time and after a decade in Spain he went as well to Turin, Italy penning a deal with Juventus in particular for another big money move.
Over the years the rivalry had ignited causing both players to keep raising the bar giving mind boggling showcase of talent and professionalism on the football pitch.
The man from Rosario, Lionel Messi has also created history of his own and is also regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, He joined Barcelona at age 13 and 2004 at 17 he started stealing the show becoming an integral player of the Blaugrana.
He won his first Balon d’or at 22 in 2009 and after that he has won five more till date, his supposed rival Cristiano Ronaldo has won five, his first of the five came in 2008 so we see there isn’t much disparity in terms of individual accolades for both legends who are widely considered as the greatest players of their generation.
The Portuguese has won more FIFA player of the year award with 2 more than the Argentine who holds just 1 so far
Ronaldo has scored a remarkable 777 goals with 224 assist while Messi has scored 743 goals with 310 assist.
Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo are simply two Demigods Who Have been Electrifying the football Pitch with a Touch of Gold. Of course, the records can speak for themselves.
Now, if we are to take a look at the achievements of both players, the list is certainly full to the brim, we are going to start with Cristiano Ronaldo, first his individual awards and then club trophies won;
Christiano Ronaldo
Trophies so far from Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and International trophies.
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: ×1
Premier League: ×3
FA Cup: ×1
Football League Cup: ×2
FA Community Shield: ×1
UEFA Champions League: ×5
FIFA Club World Cup: ×4
La Liga: ×2
Copa del Rey: ×2
Supercopa de España: ×2
UEFA Super Cup: ×2
Serie A: ×2
Coppa Italia: ×1
Supercoppa Italiana: ×2
Portugal
UEFA European Championship: ×1
UEFA Nations League: ×1
Individual Awards;
FIFA Ballon d’Or/Ballon d’Or: ×5
FIFA World Player of the Year: ×1
FIFPro World Player of the Year: ×1
The Best FIFA Men’s Player: ×2
UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: ×3
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: ×1
UEFA Club Forward of the Year: ×1
FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year: ×2
PFA Portuguese Player of the Year: ×4
European Golden Shoe: ×4
FIFA Puskás Award: ×1
FIFA FIFPro World11: ×14
UEFA Team of the Year: ×15
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: ×6
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: ×3
UEFA European Championship Silver Boot: ×1
UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year: ×1
UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament: ×1
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: ×1
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: ×1
FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: ×3
PFA Young Player of the Year: ×1
PFA Players’ Player of the Year: ×2
Premier League Player of the Season: ×2
FWA Footballer of the Year: ×2
PFA Premier League Team of the Year: ×4
Premier League Golden Boot: ×1
La Liga Best Player: ×1
La Liga Best Forward: ×1
La Liga Most Valuable Player: ×1
La Liga Team of the Season: ×3
Pichichi Trophy: ×3
UEFA La Liga Team of The Season: ×2
BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: ×1
Serie A Most Valuable Player: ×1
Serie A Footballer of the Year: ×2
Serie A Team of the Year: ×2
Golden Foot: ×1
Ballon d’Or Dream Team: ×1
Globe Soccer Awards Player of the Century: ×1
IFFHS World’s Best Top Division Goal Scorer: ×3
IFFHS Men’s World Team: ×4
IFFHS UEFA Best Man Player of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS World Team of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS UEFA Team of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS World’s Best National Goal Scorer: ×1
IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer: ×4
IFFHS World’s Best National Goal Scorer of XXI Century: 2001–2020
IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer of XXI Century: 2001–2020
IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS World’s Best International Goal Scorer of XXI Century 2001–2020
Lionel Messi
Trophies for Barcelona and for his National team Argentina;
La Liga: ×10
Copa del Rey: ×7
Supercopa de España: ×8
UEFA Champions League: ×4
UEFA Super Cup: ×3
FIFA Club World Cup: ×3
International trophies;
Argentina U20
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
Argentina Olympic team
Summer Olympics: 2008
Individual Awards;
Ballon d’Or/FIFA Ballon d’Or: ×6
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: ×1
FIFA World Player of the *Year: ×1*
The Best FIFA Men’s Player: ×1
European Golden Shoe: ×6
Copa América Golden Ball: ×1
UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award: ×2
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: ×1
UEFA Club Forward of the Year: ×2
La Liga Best Player: ×6
La Liga Best Forward: ×7
Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano (best player in Spain): ×7
Pichichi Trophy: ×7
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: ×2
FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: ×1
FIFA Club World Cup Final Most Valuable Player: ×2
FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball: ×1
FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Shoe: ×1
IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker: ×4
IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS All Time World’s Best Playmaker: 2006–2020
IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer: ×2
IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer: ×2
IFFHS World’s Best Top Division Goal Scorer: ×4
IFFHS World’s Beste National Goal Scorer of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS World’s Best Man Player of the Decade 2011–2020
IFFHS The Best Man CONMEBOL Player of the Decade: 2011–2020
IFFHS The Best Man CONMEBOL Player: ×1
Olimpia de Plata (Argentine Footballer of the Year): ×12
Copa América Best Young Player: ×1
FIFPro Young World Player of the Year: ×3
Golden Boy (Young Footballer of the Year in Europe): ×1
FIFA FIFPro World11: ×14
IFFHS World’s Team of the Year: ×4
IFFHS World Team of the Decade 2011–2020
IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Year: ×1
IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade 2011–2020
UEFA Team of the Year: ×12
UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: ×1
Copa América Dream Team: ×4
Argentine Football Assn. Team of All Time (published 2015)
Argentine Sportsman of the Decade 2011-2020, 2021
L’Équipe Champion of Champions: ×1
World Soccer Greatest XI of All Time: ×1
Ballon d’Or Dream Team: ×1
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: ×1
Champion for Peace and Sport: ×1
Both greats have taking the footballing world by storm, making it difficult to point out exactly who is the greater amongst the two. Football lovers are certainly in El Dorado and ecstasy any time this players are dictating football matches, for over a decade Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo battled it out for rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively going up against each other and it was at this point in time the rivalry heightened both greats blew the El Grande Classico to life with daggers drawn all in the quest to make their team victorious in this encounter.
Internationally, Cristiano Ronaldo has kind of slightly done better winning more laurels and has also scored more goals so far for the Selacao with 103 goals than Messi’s 71 goals with the “La Albiceleste”, Argentina but this two icons who age wise look like they are at the twilight of their career, on the football pitch they are showing no sign of relenting or tiredness.
Certainly there ae arguments and parameters for both players where one ranks better than the other although not by miles and vice versa but we have to keep lapping up all the star quality and wonderful performances they bring to the occasion and be grateful that we are in the era where this two greats graced the footballing arena giving us spectacular performances on a regular.
For me, I believe Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time considering his playmaking prowess and Pace with the ball. Forget about trophies and individual awards, no player in history made football look as simple as Lionel Messi does make it seem. It is important to note that being a fan of either of the two greats is a function of choice and preference.
