Reasons Why Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are Biggest Rival

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two names that are synonymous with the excitement of modern football. The rivalry between the two has defined the sport for the past two decades. Rarely have these personal battles made headlines like the ones shared by Messi and Ronaldo.

Throughout the game’s history, football has seen many rivalries between teams. Barcelona-Real Madrid, Liverpool-Manchester United and AC Milan-Inter Milan are just some of the great battles we’ve seen over the last few centuries.

Regardless of the state of football, it sometimes seems that people influence sports more than their peers. In the past, players like Pelé, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff marked a squad that was later improved by Ronaldo  , Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario. None of these players were inherent rivals, but many have likened these players’ revolutionary style to an era-defining approach to football.

With both players now at clubs outside of Spain, the chances of them meeting are slim. However, the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo  rivalry is one of the most spectacular in football history. Here are five reasons why Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest rivalry football has ever seen.

Messi and Ronaldo’s Ballon d’Or monopoly for a decade:

Cristiano Ronaldo began a fascinating battle when he won the 2008 Ballon d’Or. The Portuguese star was incredible for Manchester United in the 2007-08 season, scoring 42 goals in 49 matches, winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Messi finished second behind Ronaldo with 165 points. But the Argentine bounced back brilliantly to win four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards and Barcelona established themselves as the kings of European football.

Ronaldo then bounced back, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2013 and 2014, before Messi responded with one of his own in 2015. The Portuguese won the award again in 2016 and 2017.

Ronaldo’s Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric finally broke the monopoly by winning the prestigious award in 2018. But Messi’s incredible 2018-19 campaign saw him win the award for a record sixth time in December 2019, more than Ronaldo’s account.

Longevity and Continuity:

Continuity is important in any sport and few have embraced the definition of the word more than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi debuted for Barcelona in 2003, in a friendly against Porto. His official league debut for the club came a year later against Espanyol. Since then, the Argentine has added incredible numbers. Messi scored 672 goals and contributed an incredible 305 assists in 778 games for the club. He also scored 76 goals and 53 assists in 151 appearances for Argentina, bringing his career contribution to an impressive 1,106!

Throughout his career, Messi has scored 40 or more goals in all but one season since the start of the 2009-10 campaign. He has also posted 50 or more G+As in every season since 2008-09, the latest testament to his longevity and consistency.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers also defy human belief. Known as the fittest footballer of all time, the Portuguese’s career numbers are absolutely impressive. Ronaldo has only scored a credible 674 goals and 229 assists at club level since making his debut for Sporting Lisbon in 2002. Furthermore, the 36-year-old Ronaldo has also scored 109 goals and 41 assists in 179 appearances for Portugal.

Ronaldo scored 40 or more goals in the three seasons between 2007-08 and 2017-18. While he hasn’t always been praised for his creative abilities, the Portuguese has also recorded 10 or more assists in multiple seasons.

The large collection of Messi and Ronaldo trophies:

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have an incredible number of major trophies to their names, further consolidating their legacies.

The Argentina has won an incredible 10 La Liga titles, seven Copas del Rey and four UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona, including two trebles. In addition, they have also won eight Spanish Super Cups, three Club World Cups and three UEFA Super Cups. This brings his club football trophies to 35, making him one of the most decorated footballers of all time. Messi won the 2021 Copa America and also claimed the FIFA U-20 World Cup and an Olympic gold medal with Argentina.

Ronaldo’s trophy collection is equally impressive. Throughout his career, the Portuguese won national competitions in four different countries. Ronaldo won the Portuguese Super Cup for the first time with Sporting Lisbon. He has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups, one Champions League title and two FA Community Shields in England.