Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two all-time greats in football, and the debate about who is the better player is one of the most famous “GOAT debates” in sports history. Here’s my take.
When Messi won the World Cup with Argentina, and Cristiano Ronaldo subsequently signed with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, the debate was, to many, settled once and for all. Messi won the most important trophy in football and returned to European giant PSG. But, at the same time, Ronaldo crashes out in the tournament’s quarterfinals (to Morocco) and then plays at club level in Saudi Arabia, of all places.
On the other side is the downright ridiculous criticism of some Ronaldo fans who say that Messi went to play in the “farmers’ league” and lacks leadership skills compared to the Portuguese star.
Well, the way I see it is that both players are legends in their own right and shouldn’t be compared.
They have very different playing styles, and to measure one against the other would be to ignore the unique and inspiring aspects of their individual skill sets. Anyone remotely impartial in this debate will recognize these players’ exceptional contributions to the game and how inspirational their respective journeys have been.
Bottom line? In the future, we may never see other players rival their achievements.
