5 differences between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

#3 Weak-foot ability

Lionel Messi is more reliant on his stronger left foot.

This is one of the most notable differences between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. One relies on his unstoppable left foot to tear opposition defences apart, while the other is proficient off both feet.

Lionel Messi has arguably the best left foot in world football, but his right foot is way behind in terms of effectiveness. According to stats, the PSG forward scores eight out of ten goals with his left foot, while he scores just one of every eight goals with his right.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, thrives with his stronger right foot almost as well as he does with his weaker left foot. Statistically, the Portuguese has scored 790 goals in his career, with 145 coming off his left foot.

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#2 Aerial ability

Cristiano Ronaldo is in a league of his own when it comes to aerial ability.

Cristiano Ronaldo totally dominates this aspect. Of course there isn't much Lionel Messi can do in this category, as the Argentine stands at just 1.69 meters, compared to his counterpart who stands at 1.87 meters.

Moreover, the Portuguese has an incredible jumping prowess that makes him a serious threat to opposition defenders whenever the ball is in the air. The former Real Madrid maestro has scored some of the most beautiful headed goals ever seen in the sport.

Statistically, Lionel Messi has scored 26 headed goals in his career, while Cristiano Ronaldo has done so 137 times. That explains the difference in the duo's aerial prowess.

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#1 Teamwork

Lionel Messi puts in a lot of work to help his team.

When it comes to analysing how Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo operate for their respective teams, it is clear they're different from each other. The Argentine's teamwork is so obvious that there's no need for any critical thinking to realise he's more of a team player.

Messi is someone who connects the dots to help the team thrive. He drops deep to organise his team's play before moving forward to exchange passes with attackers and take down opposition teams.

Cristiano Ronaldo, though, is more of an individual player capable of staging a show all on his own even if his team plays poorly. Unlike Messi, the Manchester United superstar has a reduced involvement in building up plays, as he spends a lot of time around the opposition box. However, Ronaldo is always available to make a difference in front of goal.