For the love of Messi!
When I share with friends and family that I love watching European football, somehow the conversation always gravitates to the inevitable; “who is better Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi”. So, let this be my official declaration of why I think Messi is the best player that I have ever had the privilege to see.
Now, for all those that might question my objectivity, I should declare that I have seen both players live, up-close and personal on several occasions. I have seen these incredibly talented players play at the peak of their careers, in some cases against one another and at some of the most amazing matches that have ever taken place; for example, the Champions League Finals in Rome 2009 and at Wembley in 2011.
When watching these megastars play my initial thoughts are of complete and utter gratitude. For a moment we should take a deep breath and stop comparing these players and simply appreciate how incredibly lucky we are to watch in a single generation two of the greatest players that have ever played the game of football, and on a par to Pele and Maradona (okay, do not get me started on the Hand of God, or the best World Cup goal in history!).
I believe that Ronaldo is one of the best footballers who has ever been born, the best striker that has ever entered our universe. He is a goal making machine; a force to be reckoned with. Ronaldo is an incredibly disciplined, hardworking, dedicated athlete who defies the law of nature. He has trained his body to be a well-oiled goal producing machine and continues to hold this mindset and attitude. His potent and rare combination of these attributes have resulted in precision and consistency without the need for anyone else. Ronaldo is an out and out attacker, a lone ranger, who is focused to deliver under all types of pressure. But then again…isn’t this his job!?
Everyone wants to watch their team to win and demolish their opponents. Our competitive side is unleashed, and our chants get louder and louder. We love the thrill of winning but what we love more is how the beautiful game is played. Sure, precision matters and is needed to execute, however let’s be honest, “creativity” is what feeds our soul; the shot that we never thought could be made, the pass that dodged the most confident of defenders and the play that we never dreamt of but now is etched in our minds which we cannot stop thinking of (even if we try).
This is what Messi brings to the game of football. The creative one-of-a kind genius, who watches everything and hunts for opportunities for him and his team. His focus is to win matches and deliver goals, not as a striker but as an inventor making him the most envied and iconic sporting superstars of all time. Messi gracefully prowls for the right moment, the unseen play (by others) who is unafraid to realize the power of assistance. He is a naturally gifted forward who optimizes his position by creating opportunities for his fellow players and himself. He is an attacker and has the added responsibility of assisting. For Messi it is not just about himself, it is this dual role that sets him apart from Ronaldo. His journey taught him humbleness, the power to deliver a vision with his teammates and, the ability to create pure magic. This trait is not a role but a true reflection of his innate personality, which for over 15 years he has validated with the rawest display of passion and excitement. When he scores, his team normally wins. You will notice that when Messi scores he pays homage to his departed grandmother and looks to the heavens to thank her, whereas by stanch contrast, Ronaldo boastfully displays his chest to show the world that he is the main man.
However, whether we like it or not, facts and stats do matter and as such I have included below in Table 1 relevant information. Again, let me state how fortunate we are to witness the greatest players to have ever played this sport and the data captured below highlights how close these players are in delivering using their respective talents. Now we can ad nauseum go through every stat such as goals scored, goals per game, penalties scored (and in both cases, penalties missed) win ratios, number of trophies and so on and so forth however let me reassure you, I am more than more than equipped to have a debate the numbers. I do however believe that this is where we get lost and cannot see the forest from the trees. In another words, the numbers masks what really differentiates these players from one another. In fact, the actual data is too close to call, essential it is an honourable draw! The point is that their respective talents are unlocked and optimized by aligning them to the position that they play on the field. The aggregated data highlights how exceptionally similar they are if it was simply a numbers game.
In my humble opinion, this is the reason why so many football pundits struggle with choosing between these two megastars and often get into endless heated debates. The data is too close to call. We need to look past the comparative data and think about what plays have left us speechless; created those jaw dropping unforgettable memories. Again, is this not the reason why we watch football? If it was simply about goals, then why do we sometimes feel unfulfilled or even bored when our own teams are winning. The truth is that we watch football for those unimaginable moments which makes us jump off our seats whether in the stadium or in our living rooms. When we think about the game from this perspective, then only one of these players carries that intangible, that “je ne sais quoi” — Messi! One play that captures all of these superlatives, the pies de resistance, is Messi’s Panenka penalty “assist” in 2016 against Celta Vigo.
Messi is the one who leaves repeatedly hitting the rewind/play button. To quote Ray Hudson from BeIn Sports — “Are you kidding me”. For those of who need evidence, Table 2 provides just a snippet into my thinking. For this reason, and this reason only, this is the debate that requires no further debate!
