Messi v. Ronaldo: Who’s the GOAT?

There are many debates from the world of soccer, but most would agree that Messi vs. Ronaldo is the most well-known. Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo are two of the best players that soccer has ever seen, and the two have dominated the game for over a decade.

Both play as attackers; therefore, it is good to first look at how many goals both players have scored. Ronaldo has scored 48 more goals than Messi. 

Usually, the response from people who think Messi is better is that he is a playmaker and not a goalscorer, but it’s hard to call someone a playmaker when they have more than twice as many goals as assists. It is also about the way Ronaldo gets it done; he can shoot from forty yards or go past a whole team. But the main way he can get it done is his header. Ronaldo has 114 more goals with his head.

When it comes to assists, Messi has 96 more than Ronaldo. The main argument against this is that Messi played in what most believed to be the best team ever, which explains this success. This is a fair point, but just by watching these two, a fan can tell Messi is a more complete playmaker. 

The next main thing to take into consideration is dribbling. According to www.messivsronaldo.app, “There is therefore little doubt that Lionel Messi is the best when it comes to dribbling.̈  

This is true; Messi is the better player when it comes to attacking defenders head on. The way he can change his movement with the ball at such a pace is mesmerizing. 

How do other professionals judge this rivalry? Pelé, who is one of the greatest players ever, said he would take Ronaldo. Maradona, another all-time great, believes Messi is better. This is what makes the debate so interesting; even pros don’t know which player to choose.