It’s a debate that dominates social media any time either of these two footballers plays; who is better, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?
Every week fans go back and forth on Twitter and Facebook over which of the two is greater, with the debates often favouring whoever is in form at that particular moment.
In terms of team and individual awards, both players have attained levels of success others can only dream of.
Messi has won the Ballon d’Or six times, one more than Ronaldo while the Portuguese has won two The Best FIFA Player awards in the last four years.
The stats don’t make deciding any easier as there isn’t much between them.
So who better to tell us which of the two is the better player than footballers who were once acknowledged to be the best in their eras?
Former Barcelona and Brazil star Ronaldinho, who played with Messi at the Catalan club believes his former teammate is more talented than Cristiano Ronaldo, although he admits the Juventus forward is a great player as well.
“He’s the best in history, no doubt. Nobody has done what Messi’s done. The other one [Ronaldo] is complete, he has it all,” Ronaldinho said.
“So does Messi, but it’s a question of taste and I prefer Messi’s style.”
His former Brazil teammate, Ronaldo, believes both Ronaldo and Messi are “out of this world” but adds that he thinks Messi is the more complete player.
“He [Messi] is out of this world. Cristiano, too, but I see Leo as more complete,” Ronaldo said.
“He’s great. I like him much more than any other player. Everything he does is spectacular.”
For former Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and England midfielder, David Beckham, despite how impressive Ronaldo is, he just doesn’t match Messi’s standard.
Beckham insisted that Ronaldo “doesn’t reach the level” of Messi.
“I probably decided to retire when Messi was running past me,” Beckham added.
