No doubt, the greatest footballers in recent times are Ronaldo and Messi. The two players have not doubt, ruled the world of football for eleven years with Messi having 6 ballon d'or awards and Ronaldo having 5 ballon d'or awards.

To some, the Argentine is the greatest player ever and to others, the Portuguese edges him out. what can't be denied is the fact that both of these players are the best of their generation and none come close to the level at which the operate. What stirs up the rivalry between fans of these players is the fact that they are both goal scorers and they play for different teams. While Messi depends on technique, Ronaldo depends on power.

Below are the 7 differences between these players;

1.FINISHING

Ronaldo
The Portuguese is a solid finisher- it is his biggest strength. He scores from tight angles and long distance. He heavily relies on power to make sure his shots end up in the end and it works so well for him.

Messi
The Argentine prefers placing his shots accurately and he does it so well. This technique of his have allowed him score so many goals. His technique gets better like wine.

2.DRIBBLING

Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo was once a great dribbler during his time at sporting and Manchester united. His freestyle dribbles ruined the nights of many defenders. However, the case is different now as he rarely pull off a single successful dribbles these days. The reason being that his dribble skills is now predictable.

Lionel Messi
Messi is the best dribbler in the world. His close control while dribbling is quite astonishing and makes people wonder how he actually does it. The ball sticks to his legs as if he was born with it.

3.AERIAL THREAT

Cristiano Ronaldo
In most cases football fans thinks ronaldo usually fly and not jump. The Portuguese perhaps has the greatest leap in the game of football. His jumping skill and technique allows him to stay on the air for some time before scoring in order, to gain a high precision.

Messi
Lionel Messi's aerial ability is quite low as he hardly score goals using his head. This i think, is attributed by his short stature.

4.PASSING

Cristiano Ronaldo
During his days at Manchester united, he hardly passes the ball as he is always seen dribbling than passing to his team mate. But during his stay at Real Madrid his playing style changed a little as he was seen passing most times but his pass is not as creative as expected.

Lionel Messi
There are only few players in the world who can create accurate and creative passes in football like messi does. He is so good at giving vicious defense piercing passes that dismantles the defense of most teams. He can be closed down by multiple of defenders but can pass through them by executing his master pass.

5.PACE

Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the most lethal aspect of his game is pace. He can outrun most defenders in the world of football. He covers a lot of ground in a very short space of time. His speed comes into play in an open space to run but in tight corners, he rarely function.

Lionel Messi
Messi is also quick but he runs with short strides as one can expect from looking at his height. This allows him to twist and turn and most times cause havoc in the opponents defense.

6.FIRST TOUCH

Cristiano Ronaldo
First touch is an important aspect in a player's skill. It usually differentiates the good from the best. A good first touch shows how clever a player is. Ronaldo's first touch is decent, but it isn't clever, or great. He can receive the ball and control but cant create space with it. That's why he relies on long range shots, something only him is good at.

Lionel Messi
Messi is so good at first touch. This i believe is part of what makes him a genius. With his first touch, he is able to beat defenders and create space for himself. But near the post, his first touch to score is not as creative as that of Ronaldo.

7.WEAKER FOOT STRENGTH

Cristiano Ronaldo
His left foot is just as strong as the right. As he is seen most times scoring goals with both feets. But he doesnt really use it while dribbling not like players like Santi Carzola who use both feet while dribbling.

Lionel Messi
His right weak foot is not as good as Ronaldo's weak left foot. It is noticed that he uses his weak foot for running and balancing and most times score with it when he's closer to the post.

Source: https://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/7f5f4a01e3b6c1ad2731158f280b6428?client=news

cc: Seun, lalasticlala, mynd44, honeric01, semid4lyfe

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Well said....


The goat still remains...

Messi !!!!!

It is better not to compare the two, no doubt the two are the best in world of football, just that FIFA seems to favour one than the other.

viyon02:
It is better not to compare the two, no doubt the two are the best in world of football, just that FIFA seems to favour one than the other.

They both have had their fair share of awards from FIFA.

both of them are good, i dont rate dem above each other