There really hasn’t been anything like it ever in club or international football. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have taken their individual battle to be the best to a whole new level. Sure we’ve had great players peppering football’s narrative in the past. But not like this.Football is most certainly the winner as the successes of one becomes the catalyst for the other to raise their game. And when you think that you’ve seen it all, the bar gets raised yet again. There are many facets to the rivalry also, which makes things a great deal more interesting for the consumer, be they the paying public from the locale in the stadium, or the millions watching worldwide.Like a Connors-McEnroe or Borg-McEnroe tennis tussle of the past, we are blessed to witness to two of the finest exponents ever to grace the world stage, at exactly the same time.It’s often said that you’re either pro-Messi or pro-Ronaldo. If you’re a fan of the beautiful game then frankly you should be a fan of both. Over these next few slides, let’s look at what makes the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry the greatest in football history –



#1 Individual records almost unbeatable
Almost certainly the barometer by which most observers judge the rivalry is the output of both players. In goalscoring terms, there has been the occasional spike in history when a player comes along and knocks the scoring records out of the park. Names such as Dixie Dean and Gerd Muller should resonate in that regard.

But it’s the fact that both Messi and Ronaldo do it year after year that sets them apart.

In the last six seasons, both players have won the Pichichi trophy, given for most La Liga goals, three times. On only one of those occasions has their output dropped below 40 league goals for the season. Those sorts of numbers have far exceeded what’s gone before with only four other players in the last 30 years coming anywhere close to either player.

It’s not just in La Liga either. Both have also won the European Golden Shoe because of their feats in that timeframe.

What’s interesting is that neither is nominally a striker by definition, even though playing in a centre-forward role hasn’t presented any problems at this juncture. Ronaldo would almost certainly be classified as a winger with Messi said to be an attacking midfielder. It makes their scoring repertoire even more impressive.

Over 400 goals each, over 50 hat-tricks between them, the two highest scorers in Champions League history...the scoring records of the two are almost endless.


#2 Good cop, bad cop
In every good story, there has to be a good cop, bad cop scenario to make it work. Thus, Ronaldo seems to have been cast as the pantomime villain with Messi the angelic boy next door. The truth is quite obviously very much different.

Yes, Ronaldo can be petulant, hard work and dare we suggest it, a little immature at times. But he is a winner. Moreover, a winner who lives for scoring goals that will propel him to the top of Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorers.

With just 10 left to get before Ronaldo takes Raul’s crown in less than half of the games it took the former, why wouldn’t he get angry at chances going abegging or teammates scoring instead.

Why too isn’t there as much fuss made when Lionel Messi lambasts his own teammates for the same? Make no mistake, the Argentine is just as driven and as greedy for goals as his contemporary, but portraying Messi as selfish and unruly wouldn’t fit the narrative would it?

A narrative that has become a little tiring. Indeed, don’t be surprised to see both of them soon decide towalk away from the tawdry, manipulative games of the press.

#3 Great desire, greater delivery


It’s one thing wanting to be the best, quite another to deliver it. Here’s another reason why Messi and Ronaldo find themselves metaphorically head and shoulders above anyone else in world football at the moment.

The desire that both possess to be the very best is a pre-requisite for any sportsman worth their salt. If you’re not willing to “reach for the stars” then why bother starting out in the first place.

Where these two take it to another level is that whatever the game and no matter how big the stage, both players almost always deliver.

Whether that’s by scoring goals or putting in man of the match performances, there isn’t really a week that goes by without one or the other being decisive for their respective teams. That applies internationally as well as at club level.

Take this season as a prime example. Messi played in every minute of every game for Barcelona. League, Cup and Champions League. He wasn’t substituted once. Aside from the odd indiscretion, Ronaldo racked up the minutes too. To add to their club responsibilities, they are the captains of their countries and with that comes worldwide international commitments.

Any complaints of having to play two games a week for much of the season? Of tiredness etc.? Not at all. Why? Because these two live for the battle.

#4 Endorsements, earnings and fan following


Even off of the field of play, there is an ongoing competition between the two. Messi is signed to Adidas for his endorsements but has to play in Nike for Barcelona. Ronaldo plays in Adidas for Real Madrid but endorses Nike.

They have the two biggest social media followings for sports people with a combined 180 million Facebook followers in 2015 and are the two best-paid footballers in the world. Ronaldo earned a whopping $79.6 million in the last financial year with Messi taking $73.6 million to the bank.

In these days of 24-hour news, with sports programmes, magazines and column inches devoted just as much to off-field issues as on-field prowess, both players have their role to play here too.

Messi was recently the first footballer to feature on the cover of Time magazine. Ronaldo was the cover star for American Vogue, a hitherto unprecedented move for the fashion house. Both players have their own lines of clothing that are multi-million dollar businesses too. It just doesn’t stop.

Any top line company that wants to shift their products in high volumes only needs the endorsement of either player to guarantee the success. Brilliant on the pitch and the most marketable athletes off it.

Two brilliant players. One intense rivalry.

#5 Duopoly over the Ballon d\'Or


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