Lionel Messi .v. Cristiano Ronaldo

[Gnegneri]

yes.

Ronaldo in Messi's place in el clasico would dominate just like Messi did, there is little doubt in my mind.

It's the other way around. Messi would probably be as "bad" as Ronaldo was when playing for Madrid. But Ronaldo can't be as good as Messi is with Barcelona.

 

[Corb]

Messi >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ronaldo

 

[dalitis8]

It's the other way around. Messi would probably be as "bad" as Ronaldo was when playing for Madrid. But Ronaldo can't be as good as Messi is with Barcelona.

Messi would be better with Madrid than CR is(imagine all that help from the refs going Leo's way!!!)

CR would never be as good with Barca. CR is simply awesome, but Messi is even better,end of.

 

[Abaddon]

Ronaldo is not even on Leo's level/planet/solar system. aside from being a technically superior player, I cannot count the times I've seen Messi track back to the defensive third of the pitch, win the ball that was lost in attacking third of the pitch, make an outlet pass to Xavi that starts a counter-attack that leads to a goal/scoring chance cuz he ran back to the attacking third from the defensive third. I can count how many times Cristiano has done that though: zero. He's usually too busy throwing a hissy fit at the ref to do something that team-oriented.

case closed. somebody close this thread. it's an insult to Leo to be even compared to Cristiano.

Not your best piece Irv, didn't manage to put the bias aside even a little.

It's the other way around. Messi would probably be as "bad" as Ronaldo was when playing for Madrid. But Ronaldo can't be as good as Messi is with Barcelona.

Well as good... impossible to say, but there is no reason to think he wouldn't have a very good game. He has proven plenty of times what he can do with that kind of space.

I'm just saying, I can respect your opinion of Messi being the better player (though not by a huge margin, cause that's just bs), but I don't see how last clasico proved that, when you take context into account.

 

[Daemul]

Messi >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ronaldo

Thats a fairly simple and effective way of putting it.

 

[Lemmi]

75 - Lionel Messi has scored a goal every 75 minutes and 23 seconds for Barcelona in all competitions in 2010. Superhuman

This season he has scored or assisted 1.9 goals per game.

 

[Metaphysical]

Messi is by a distance the finest player in the world.

that's no knock on the other great players in the world. Lio is just different class.

 

[La Furia]

Messi is by a distance the finest player in the world.

that's no knock on the other great players in the world. Lio is just different class.

I'm not arguing with this but you have to admit the coach and team around him is making it easy for him. Most great attackers would love to have Xavi or Iniesta to pass back and fourth with, let alone both of them, and who else has one of the best strikers in the world conceding to a support role because of them?

It works as well as it does because Messi is ridiculous but let's not pretend this is a one man show. There's a reason Messi isn't this prolific for Argentina.

 

[Metaphysical]

I'm not arguing with this but you have to admit the coach and team around him is making it easy for him. Most great attackers would love to have Xavi or Iniesta to pass back and fourth with, let alone both of them, and who else has one of the best strikers in the world conceding to a support role because of them?

It works as well as it does because Messi is ridiculous but let's not pretend this is a one man show. There's a reason Messi isn't this prolific for Argentina.

well of course Messi is THIS good because of the team he's playing in. to say otherwise is obvious denial. but it's equally ridiculous to say he's only this good because of his team. he'd still be the best player in the World playing for, say, Reial. or Milan. or United. or maybe even Chelsea.

but even for Argentina, take away the Maradona era and his record is pretty nice as well considering his ages, injury problems and the Riquelme-centric nature of the teams. and since Maradona left the job Messi has looked the business and has scored 2 big goals in 2 big (friendly) games against 2 big opponents.

Barca aren't the reason he wins the fight, Barca are just the reason it's a first round knockout.

y'dig?

 

[Catalonian Devil]

I'm not arguing with this but you have to admit the coach and team around him is making it easy for him. Most great attackers would love to have Xavi or Iniesta to pass back and fourth with, let alone both of them, and who else has one of the best strikers in the world conceding to a support role because of them?

It works as well as it does because Messi is ridiculous but let's not pretend this is a one man show. There's a reason Messi isn't this prolific for Argentina.

Yes, it was called Diego Armando Maradona.


There is no doubt in my mind he'll produce his Barca forum for Argentina in the coming years with the fat junkie out of the way...

well of course Messi is THIS good because of the team he's playing in. to say otherwise is obvious denial. but it's equally ridiculous to say he's only this good because of his team. he'd still be the best player in the World playing for, say, Reial. or Milan. or United. or maybe even Chelsea.

but even for Argentina, take away the Maradona era and his record is pretty nice as well considering his ages, injury problems and the Riquelme-centric nature of the teams. and since Maradona left the job Messi has looked the business and has scored 2 big goals in 2 big (friendly) games against 2 big opponents.

Barca aren't the reason he wins the fight, Barca are just the reason it's a first round knockout.

y'dig?

Messi has shown many times he can take a team apart on his own.

See Arsenal ...

 

[Jordzibob]

The arguments over whether Messi is good with the team, better than Maradona, bla bla bla, will go on forever. This particular case however, vs Ronaldo, has been well truly and closed. He is on a different planet to bitch boy. Dismissed.

 

[IrvDizzle]

Not your best piece Irv, didn't manage to put the bias aside even a little.

you know how much I hate Cristiano. If I saw him crossing the street I'd run him over, put the car in reverse, and run him over again. He's so self-centred and arrogant. And again, I have yet to see Cristiano track back and play defense/try to win the ball back. Until he starts to do that consistently, it's a no contest.

 

[La Furia]

well of course Messi is THIS good because of the team he's playing in. to say otherwise is obvious denial. but it's equally ridiculous to say he's only this good because of his team. he'd still be the best player in the World playing for, say, Reial. or Milan. or United. or maybe even Chelsea.

but even for Argentina, take away the Maradona era and his record is pretty nice as well considering his ages, injury problems and the Riquelme-centric nature of the teams. and since Maradona left the job Messi has looked the business and has scored 2 big goals in 2 big (friendly) games against 2 big opponents.

Barca aren't the reason he wins the fight, Barca are just the reason it's a first round knockout.

y'dig?

Everything you say is right but certain people on this board seem to downplay the rest of the team because they are so in love with Messi. I can't blame them because the kid is fucking irresistible but it's a chicken/egg effect where Messi takes this team to another level and can bail us out by himself but wouldn't be anywhere near this dangerous on any other team, and it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

On the other hand any "underachievement" for Argentina can be credited to a dysfunctional mess with selfish, corrupt pieces of shit on all levels from Grondona to Maradona to Riquelme. All the greats had elite support from Pele to Cruyff to Ronaldo (the real one), only Maradona was able to win on every level as judge, jury and executor and even then he was always given a rough and tumble defense to protect him.

But Messi is not at that level by any means yet and I think as of right now Messi is more dependant on this team than the other way around. Disagree with me all you want but to me Xavi is still this teams MVP. Messi might individually win more games but Xavi defines a system, Spain winning the world cup to me is telling where the balance in power still lies.

But Messi is only 23 so there's no excuse for him to stagnate. He got the goal scoring and passing down but there's no reason he can't learn new tricks.

 

[gingerless]

Thats a fairly simple and effective way of putting it.

i'll say this, i doubt CR would have made a pass like that one for the fourth goal from messi... beat 2 defenders, change direction so rapidly and put it on a perfect plate (notice how villa doesn't even need to have a first touch on the ball) and he just taps it home, albeit a perfect tap to go through iker's legs.

BUT, i don't watch madrid as much as barcelona

also, ask any team if they would want to swap messi for their best player and i realy doubt they wouldn't

well of course Messi is THIS good because of the team he's playing in. to say otherwise is obvious denial. but it's equally ridiculous to say he's only this good because of his team. he'd still be the best player in the World playing for, say, Reial. or Milan. or United. or maybe even Chelsea.

but even for Argentina, take away the Maradona era and his record is pretty nice as well considering his ages, injury problems and the Riquelme-centric nature of the teams. and since Maradona left the job Messi has looked the business and has scored 2 big goals in 2 big (friendly) games against 2 big opponents.

Barca aren't the reason he wins the fight, Barca are just the reason it's a first round knockout.

y'dig?

spot on.

i can dig it

 

[Abaddon]

Everything you say is right but certain people on this board seem to downplay the rest of the team because they are so in love with Messi. I can't blame them because the kid is fucking irresistible but it's a chicken/egg effect where Messi takes this team to another level and can bail us out by himself but wouldn't be anywhere near this dangerous on any other team, and it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

On the other hand any "underachievement" for Argentina can be credited to a dysfunctional mess with selfish, corrupt pieces of shit on all levels from Grondona to Maradona to Riquelme. All the greats had elite support from Pele to Cruyff to Ronaldo (the real one), only Maradona was able to win on every level as judge, jury and executor and even then he was always given a rough and tumble defense to protect him.

But Messi is not at that level by any means yet and I think as of right now Messi is more dependant on this team than the other way around. Disagree with me all you want but to me Xavi is still this teams MVP. Messi might individually win more games but Xavi defines a system, Spain winning the world cup to me is telling where the balance in power still lies.

But Messi is only 23 so there's no excuse for him to stagnate. He got the goal scoring and passing down but there's no reason he can't learn new tricks.

Totally agree.