Ronaldo Vs. Messi

When Barcelona meet Real Madrid the biggest subplot is the battle of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo is the world’s most expensive player, Real having signed him for $131 in the summer of 2009. Prior to that he had been signed by Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon as an 18-year-old.

They are two of the highest paid soccer players in the world game.

Messi has a release clause of $400 million and his rise to the top could not contrast more starkly to that of Ronaldo. The Argentinean left Newell’s Old Boys for Barcelona at the age of 13, with the club paying for treatment on a growth hormone deficiency that threatened to stunt his progress. In 2012 he became the club's record goalscorer at the age of just 24.

Each player has won the World Player of the Year award, and has scored in a Champions League final.

Ronaldo says it is like comparing a "Ferrari with a Porsche", but who is the best?

Messi vs Ronaldo: Finishing With Feet

Messi is very much left-footed and finishes most of his chances off on that side. He generally occupied the position on the right side of attack after Josep Guardiola took over as Barcelona coach in 2008, but has featured more centrally as time has gone on. Messi is outstanding in one-on-ones, capable of the subtle dink over an advancing goalkeeper, a curled effort into the corner or a piledriver. So many chances come his way in a team that dominates most games that he will miss a few, but it is hard to find fault in Messi’s finishing. 9/10.

Where Messi generally favors brains over braun when faced with the whites of the goalposts,Ronaldo more often than not opts for sheer power. Unlike Messi, the Portuguese star is right footed, but is also adept at finishing on his weaker side. Can be guilty of profligacy, but his goals record speaks for itself. 8/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Finishing With Head

Messi memorably scored the second goal against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions league final with his head. But that was the exception to the rule, and most of La Pulga Atomica’s (The Atomic Flea) goals come from his left foot. 6/10.

Ronaldo scores far more goals with his head, not afraid to go in where it hurts. At 1.85 meters, Ronaldo is always going to be more effective in the air than Messi, who stands at 1.65. Ronaldo manages to apply great power to his headers and undoubtedly scores higher in this category. 8/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Free-kicks

Messi is capable of producing exquisite set-pieces that bend past opposing goalkeepers. His free-kicks are again more about finesse than brute force. He perhaps lacks the variation of Ronaldo. 8/10.

Ronaldo’s swerving free-kicks are a thing of beauty. When playing for Manchester United, he revealed that he uses the technique of striking the ball on the valve to get more power and movement. He is also capable of the classic curling free-kick. 9/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Dribbling & Control

Messi is the dribbler extraordinaire and there is no one better in the world at taking on and beating players. The beauty of Messi is that it is not just his pace that takes him past defenders, but his sublime technique, quick feet and balance. He is not the strongest or quickest player in the world, but relies on natural ability to take him past his man. 10/10.

Few players can perform a step-over like CR9, and it is such skill that helps him beat opponents repeatedly. Ronaldo's control is generally excellent, but he relies more on his pace to take him past players than his Argentinean counterpart. 9/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Skill & Technique

Such is Messi’s skill that the ball can appear glued to his feet as he maneuvres himself out of tight situations and finds teammates when it seems he is surrounded. Messi, like Ronaldo, can use the backheel to great effect and also has a penchant for looping the ball over a defender and collecting it on the other side. 10/10.

Ronaldo is more of a showman than Messi and can take the breath away with his array of stepovers and flicks. But in some matches, when the stepovers are taking him nowhere and he is attempting backheels that are not finding team-mates, Ronaldo stands accused of producing style over substance. He is blessed with tremendous natural ability and when on song he is a joy to watch, but he has more ineffectual matches than Messi. 9/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Team Play

One of the reasons Messi has been more successful at club level than international level is that he dovetails so beautifully with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. His chemistry with these two is a beauty to behold and there is no one at Barcelona who claims that Messi does not work hard enough or combine well with his teammates. 9/10.

Ronaldo is a player almost beyond reproach but one of the gripes that some teammates have had about him -and certainly sections of the Real Madrid support- is that he can be selfish and too obsessed with making the difference on his own. Ronaldo has been known to shoot from ridiculous angles and distances when teammates are better placed, and will often try to score when there is a superior option to his left or right. Some Real fans have made their frustrations known, and Ronaldo has actually been whistled at the Bernabeu for his individualistic approach. He also has a tendency to show his frustration and petulance towards teammates. 6.5/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Physical Prowess

Messi is not a big man and can be knocked off the ball by more imposing opponents. However, he is also well capable of holding his own in one-on-ones and often it takes a foul for a defender to knock him off the ball. 7/10.

Ronaldo is a real specimen of a man and has previously claimed to do 1000 press-ups a day as he looks to maintain his washboard stomach. He is a physically imposing player with unquestionable fitness and professionalism in looking after himself. 10/10.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Stats

A statistical comparison of club and country games, goals and assists since Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid in 2009.

Messi

2009-10
Games: 64
Goals: 49
Assists: 11

2010-11
Games: 61
Goals: 51
Assists: 22

2011-12
Games: 68
Goals: 74
Assists: 27

Ronaldo

2009-10
Games: 39
Goals: 33
Assists: 7

2010-11
Games: 65
Goals: 56
Assists: 16

2011-12
Games: 73
Goals: 77
Assists: 16

Messi vs Ronaldo: Goal Totals

Over the past six seasons, the players’ cumulative goal returns for club and country have been similar. Ronaldo has often been moved higher up the pitch and into a more central position as his career has progressed, while Messi is now commonly deployed by Barcelona in the position he can hurt opponents most: at the centre of the attack. He, like Ronaldo, played deeper earlier in his career but coaches such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Josep Guardiola realize that when you possess a player of the class of either of these two, it is wise to position them where they can do the most damage. 10/10 for both.

Conclusion

Messi exerts more influence over more games. Ronaldo has been accused of being a ‘flat track bully’ in the past, effective in the lesser matches but disappearing when it really matters. This may be a harsh assessment, but Messi has produced more performances in the biggest games. The Argentinean scores one more point than the Real Madrid man and edges the battle of Messi vs Ronaldo.

Total:

Lionel Messi: 69/80

Cristiano Ronaldo: 69.5/80

EAST OR WEST "RONALDO IS THE BEST"

CR7

"CR7" redirects here.

This name uses Portuguese naming customs. The first or maternal family name is dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is Aveiro.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Date of birth	5 February 1985 (age 28)
Place of birth	Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Real Madrid
Number	7
Youth career
1993–1995	Andorinha
1995–1997	Nacional
1997–2002	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2003	Sporting CP	25	(3)
2003–2009	Manchester United	196	(84)
2009–	Real Madrid	135	(146)
National team‡
2001–2002	Portugal U17	9	(6)
2002–2003	Portugal U20	5	(3)
2003	Portugal U21	6	(1)
2004	Portugal U23	3	(1)
2003–	Portugal	104	(39)
Honours[show]
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:58, 8 May 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:33, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, (born 5 February 1985),commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and who serves as captain of the Portuguese national team. He became the most expensive footballer in history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth £80 million (€93.9 million/$131.6 million). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is paid €12 million per year, makes him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world,and his buyout clause is valued at €1 billion as per his contract.

Ronaldo began his career as a youth player for Andorinha, where he played for two years, before moving to C.D. Nacional. In 1997, he made a move to Portuguese giants Sporting Clube de Portugal. Ronaldo caught the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who signed him for £12.24 million (€15 million) in 2003. The following season, Ronaldo won his first club honour, the FA Cup.

Ronaldo was the first player to win all four main PFA and FWA awards, doing so in 2007. In 2008, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or. He placed second in the Ballon d'Or in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012. He was awarded the European Golden Shoe in both 2008 and 2011. In 2008, he won three of the four main PFA and FWA trophies and was named the FIFPro Player of the Year, World Soccer Player of the Year, Onze d'Or, and the FIFA World Player of the Year.In 2007 and 2008, Ronaldo was named FWA Footballer of the Year. Ronaldo was the inaugural winner of the FIFA Puskás Award in 2009.

Ronaldo is considered one of the best footballers in the world. He holds numerous former and current scoring records, including records for most goals scored in a season for Real Madrid, most goals scored per minute in La Liga, first top European league player to reach 40 goals in a single season in two consecutive years, fastest Real Madrid player to reach one hundred league goals, and the first player ever to score against every team in a single season in La Liga.In January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 300th club goal.

Ronaldo is a Portuguese international and made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003. He has since participated in five major tournaments; UEFA Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He scored his first international goal in the opening game of the Euro 2004 against Greece, in addition to helping Portugal reach the final. He took over the captaincy of the side in July 2008 and went on to captain Portugal to the semi-finals at the Euro 2012 and finished the competition as the joint best scorer with three goals. On 16 October 2012, Ronaldo won his 100th cap against Northern Ireland, making him the third highest capped player for Portugal and became the third youngest European to reach a century of international appearances.

Ronaldo was made full-time captain of Portugal in 2008

Ronaldo playing against Germanyat Euro 2012

Ronaldo during his spell at Real Madrid.

Ronaldo playing for Portugal

Ronaldo with Lionel Messi, February 2011

Ronaldo, playing for Portugal in 2012, has been compared to Lionel Messi, as well asRonaldinho and Kaká.

Ronaldo playing against Ajax during their group stage match in the UEFA Champions League.

Ronaldo's boots on display at Santiago Bernabeu after the 2011–2012 season

Ronaldo taking a free kick for Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

Ronaldo playing against Chelsea in April 2006.

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 May 2013

Club	Season	League1		Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other2		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sporting CP	2002–03	25	3	3	2	–		3	0	0	0	31	5
	Total	25	3	3	2	–		3	0	0	0	31	5
Manchester United	2003–04	29	4	5	2	1	0	5	0	0	0	40	6
	2004–05	33	5	7	4	2	0	8	0	0	0	50	9
	2005–06	33	9	2	0	4	2	8	1	–		47	12
	2006–07	34	17	7	3	1	0	11	3	–		53	23
	2007–08	34	31	3	3	0	0	11	8	1	0	49	42
	2008–09	33	18	2	1	4	2	12	4	2	1	53	26
	Total	196	84	26	13	12	4	55	16	3	1	292	118
Real Madrid	2009–10	29	26	0	0	–		6	7	–		35	33
	2010–11	34	40	8	7	–		12	6	–		54	53
	2011–12	38	46	5	3	–		10	10	2	1	55	60
	2012–13	34	34	7	7	–		12	12	2	2	55	55
	Total	135	146	20	17	–		40	35	4	3	199	201
Career total		356	233	49	32	12	4	98	51	7	4	522	324