Cruyff and Beckenbauer, McEnroe and Borg, Sampras and Agassi, Federer and Nadal …. Messi and Ronaldo. There are certain sportsmen whose fates are intertwined. It is difficult to come up with an article about one without mentioning the other. Hence even though this post is about Ronaldo, please bear with me because Messi will be mentioned every other line. Every Ronaldo needs a Messi and every Messi needs a Ronaldo. Together they have propelled each other to greatness and also have lived rent-free in the heads of the other’s supporters!
It is very easy for me to confess that I worship Messi but as a soccer fan I have nothing but the greatest respect and admiration for what Ronaldo has done on the football pitch. Blessed with a physique and a face that is the envy of billions around the world and one that has been splashed across numerous sports and fashion magazines, Ronaldo is the most famous athlete on the planet today. His achievements in the last 15 years are nothing short of legendary – 5 Champions League titles and many goal scoring records both in the Champions League and La Liga. His move from Sporting to Manchester United led to him honing his skills under Sir Alex Ferguson. He was already one of the three best players in the world along with Messi and Kaka when he was bought by Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee. Ronaldo at Real Madrid vs Messi at Barcelona has dominated soccer headlines for the last decade. The fairy tale ended this year with Cristiano joining Juventus.
There was a time when Messi was ahead as far as individual awards and titles were concerned up until 2013. Also, he was a big game player aided by the great Xavi and Iniesta in the Barca mid-field. However, Ronaldo’s single minded obsession to be the best and an amazing Real midfield in the last 5 years has seen him catch up and even surpass Messi in many statistical categories. I personally feel that football comes naturally to Messi. Ronaldo on the other hand has practiced hours to perfect his skill. His dedication to his craft is undeniable. There is no denying his genius though – a case in point is the gorgeous bicycle kick goal past Buffon in the Champions League.
Another factor that gets overlooked is that while Messi is generally loved by friend and foe alike, Ronaldo has had to work really hard to endear himself to everyone who is not a die hard Ronaldo fan. He was viewed as a diver who would do anything to win a penalty. He was also perceived as arrogant by the soccer fraternity. However, arrogance backed by real talent has quietened even his harshest critics. Ronaldo has let his football do the talking. Right foot, left foot, header .. Cristiano Ronaldo you are just that damn good!