10 - Lionel Messi - v5

[GetIn]

It's incredibly hard to make a case for Messi over Ronaldo right now. Can't say this about many people but Ronaldo's enourmous ego is probably his greatest strength, he goes out every game trying to be the best (by getting in position to score the most goals) because he knows at this stage of his career that's all he pretty much good for and in this era of football all fans seem to care about are scoring goals. Ronaldo's eagerness to be the main scorer could be detrimental to his team at time but his teammates are so good it really doesn't effect them much.

To sort of end this tangent, if Messi had that attitude/ego, I think he'd be a better player (if that's even possible) and we'd probably be a better "team" as well. For example, Messi coasted the pichichi this season without any hattricks, i think that tells us quite a lot, he's starts coasting a bit after we go up a few goals. Going to need him to take all penalties next season, stop giving them to Neymar and Suarez, it's not like they're good at them anyways.

Please board, be competent this window and give this guy the players he deserves to play around, still think we have a few amazing Messi years, just do your jobs.

Your right it is incredibly hard to make a case for Messi over Ronaldo right now........

Because there was never a case to begin with.

Messi is head and shoulders above Ronaldo.

Also you're telling me that if Messi was hungrier for goals in dead matches where we are up big that he can help us out more?

That is exactly the opposite of what we want him to be doing, he should kill the game off then conserve his energy for bigger fixtures, like he's been doing now.

I'm sorry but put Messi on any other big club; Juve, Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern etc. and they would be coasting to the treble.

Messi is the last person we should be pointing the finger at for our failures.

 

[khaled_a_d]

In future, people will look at stats & Ballon d'Ors to claim that Cristiano Ronaldo was on the same level as prime Messi.

Unfortunately, that's the narrative most pundits, media and casuals will push for once when both of them have retired from the game.

No,that was never the narrative out there.
Beckenbaur had way more trophies than any European player and didn't beat Crujif in a single voting,the later was voted by experts as 2nd greatest player of 20th Century too btw.
Ronaldo never won a CL and still considered the best of his generation,Buffon has never won a CL and still all time gr8 GK. Maradona never won a CL,won only 2 league titles in Europe and another one in Argentina and won fan voting as all time greatest.
Football being about trophy is the biggest myth out there tbh. It is important but people rarely go to wikipedia to search honors to decide who is the greatest player they have seen.
That said,Cr7 & Messi will always be considered football greatest ever rivalry. And Cr7 will always be considered a worthy match for Messi. Sort of Magic vs Bird thing

 

[Mitchell1978]

His legacy has been tarnished and ruined, it's a sad day for me and I believe it is a sad day for who loves football as a sport.

I feel bad inside to think that Cristiano Ronaldo will be (and already is) remembered as the best footballer of this generation in font of Leo: it's totally untrue, I know it, and everybody who is honest knows it, but to say that this is not happening worldwide, between the media and the average football fans (who, sadly, are the majority of the opinion) is to fool ourselves.

For what he has done and for the level of sheer class and talent that Leo brought to the football pitch it is an insult and an utter offense, I know it, but it's happening.

What a shame, for real. Nothing else to say.

Again apart from delusional fanboys to which i pay very little attention i haven't read this at all. Plus i don't see how his legacy has been tarnished all of a sudden after what happened yesterday.

It's incredibly hard to make a case for Messi over Ronaldo right now.

Really, more consistent more productive this season, outclassed him in the classico... not hard at all.

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

It's incredibly hard to make a case for Messi over Ronaldo right now. Can't say this about many people but Ronaldo's enourmous ego is probably his greatest strength, he goes out every game trying to be the best (by getting in position to score the most goals) because he knows at this stage of his career that's all he pretty much good for and in this era of football all fans seem to care about are scoring goals. Ronaldo's eagerness to be the main scorer could be detrimental to his team at time but his teammates are so good it really doesn't effect them much.

To sort of end this tangent, if Messi had that attitude/ego, I think he'd be a better player (if that's even possible) and we'd probably be a better "team" as well. For example, Messi coasted the pichichi this season without any hattricks, i think that tells us quite a lot, he's starts coasting a bit after we go up a few goals. Going to need him to take all penalties next season, stop giving them to Neymar and Suarez, it's not like they're good at them anyways.

Please board, be competent this window and give this guy the players he deserves to play around, still think we have a few amazing Messi years, just do your jobs.

Really don't know how to reply to this

 

[ronniecro]

unless messi does not win world cup and copa america (and as things stand he won't) ronaldo will be remembered as greater player,not better but greater and that sucks

 

[blaugrana1987]

Thank God Sampaoli took Argentina, I can see them going far in WC. Remaining faithful that WC will be his next year as that is only way I can see him winning next bdor.

Kinda sad how much this club ruined him after years. Real bought and sold MUCH MUCH better. He deserved more then this...

 

[RevoTeller]

Again apart from delusional fanboys to which i pay very little attention i haven't read this at all. Plus i don't see how his legacy has been tarnished all of a sudden after what happened yesterday.

Here where I am, the great majority of football fans by now almost considers an insult to even compare Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo: it was already like that in recent times, but yesterday it has been the coup de grace.
They say that Messi is overrated and he was lucky to be protected by a pefect football system that suits him, they say that Cristiano Ronaldo has less talent but it is a better overall footballer. Also Barcelona as a team lost a lot of respect in the last years.

It sucks and it stinks but that's how things are going, I am just reporting them. That's why I'm saying that Leo's legacy got tarnished: in the last years Ronaldo went from 1-4 to 5-5 in Ballon d'ors, Real Madrid won 3 CL out of 4, Portugal won the Euros.... It seems al the luck of the World went somehow to Cristiano.
For Leo, on the other hand, it has been basically the opposite: besides the 2015 burst, he saw Cristiano closing on him both on CL and on individual awards, not to say he saw 3 striking losses in the finals with his national team...

Nobody cares about the Liga trophy, they just look at the CL and even if Leo will somehow win them anyway, they will still say that he won once again with Barcelona and nobody would care about it.

Only chance for Leo to overturn the situation is to win the WC with Argentina, but we all know it will never happen; honestly, on the contrary, with the trend of the last years, I almost expect Portugal to win it.


I am furious, I am mad about it, but the truth is that Leo's (and Barca's) legacies are dying and we are almost not even realizing it.

 

[Ripsta]

Problem with Messi is his attitude. Ronaldo may be a bigger prima donna, but he's as mentally tough as they come.

As for Messi, he's had large spells where he's looked like he simply can't be arsed. He'll go into hiding mode forcing the midfields hand, or just look 'lazy'.

This year you couldn't quite say that, unforutnately the team just wasn't up to it, but he has himself to blame for the past two or three awards Ronaldo has won over him,

At the end of their careers Messi will be considered the greater player, right now Ronaldo's in the spotlight simply on the back of last night. I'm sure by the next time Messi wins another award it'll change again, such is the fickle minds of football fans.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Here where I am, the great majority of football fans by now almost considers an insult to even compare Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo: it was already like that in recent times, but yesterday it has been the coup de grace.
They say that Messi is overrated and he was lucky to be protected by a pefect football system that suits him, they say that Cristiano Ronaldo has less talent but it is a better overall footballer. Also Barcelona as a team lost a lot of respect in the last years.

It sucks and it stinks but that's how things are going, I am just reporting them.

Well then you're surrounded by idiots who don't know shit.
Again almost all the pundits and ex-player i hear say that Messi is the better, great player, i've rarely heard otherwise.

 

[serghei]

No,that was never the narrative out there.
Beckenbaur had way more trophies than any European player and didn't beat Crujif in a single voting,the later was voted by experts as 2nd greatest player of 20th Century too btw.
Ronaldo never won a CL and still considered the best of his generation,Buffon has never won a CL and still all time gr8 GK. Maradona never won a CL,won only 2 league titles in Europe and another one in Argentina and won fan voting as all time greatest.
Football being about trophy is the biggest myth out there tbh. It is important but people rarely go to wikipedia to search honors to decide who is the greatest player they have seen.
That said,Cr7 & Messi will always be considered football greatest ever rivalry. And Cr7 will always be considered a worthy match for Messi. Sort of Magic vs Bird thing

True. You watch them play and decide for yourself who do you think it's better. Especially now that you can watch the play in almost all games.

 

[ebc_99]

Ronaldo will not be remembered as the greater or better player, I don't know anyone who thinks Ronaldo is on that level. Once both their careers are over it will be clear that Messi is number 1. Nobody compares Ronaldo to Pele or Maradona because they know he is not at that level, right now we have to put up with talk about Ronaldo and he will win another balon dor but the gap between them has been getting bigger year after year.

Ronaldo ended the season strong in terms of scoring goals but his performances were not that good, look at the classico for an example of the differences between the 2. Messi dominated the game as he does most weeks while Ronaldo just waited for chances to fall, but this time he didn't take them and that is how Ronaldo plays most weeks and that what he was like in the final. I felt Messi played better against Juve than Ronaldo did but his teammates let him down.

Statistically they are close with Leo still ahead but in all round play Messi is head and shoulders above anyone since Maradona and his lecacy will grow when he retires because there will be plenty more players like Ronaldo but we may never see anyone like Messi.

 

[Hazard]

Most people are now saying Ronaldo's on the same level or even worse - better. What a terrible week for football.

It's all gone downhill since 2012.

 

[Devils]

Most football fans are neutral when it comes to Messi/Ronaldo. Not everyone is at polar opposite ends as much as Barcelona and Real Madrid fans.

That being said, Ronaldo's massive success in the recent 4 years will polarize significant portion of the neutrals in his favour. Hate to say it, but it's reality and if Ronaldo has another amazing season next year, Messi's legacy amongst the neutral majority will be in trouble.

 

[Benzema10]

I would not be surprised if Perez bids on Messi.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Most football fans are neutral when it comes to Messi/Ronaldo. Not everyone is at polar opposite ends as much as Barcelona and Real Madrid fans.

That being said, Ronaldo's massive success in the recent 4 years will polarize significant portion of the neutrals in his favour. Hate to say it, but it's reality and if Ronaldo has another amazing season next year, Messi's legacy amongst the neutral majority will be in trouble.

The reality is that Messi had a better individual season overall but it didn't translate into enough team succes while Ronaldo untill March was probably having his worst season in quite some time. Respect to him for finishing the season strongly but to me he for shure didn't have a better individual season overall. In fact even with the late burst the difference between them might never have been bigger in terms of overall quality, production and consistency. Team succes apparently decides almost everything in the eyes of some.