"I always go for him" - David James backs player with 'different way to play the game' in Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate 

Former England international David James has expressed his opinion on the ever-lasting Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate in football. Speaking to Sportskeeda and other publications ahead of the Champions League round of 16 ties, James opened up about what separates the two legendary footballers, according to him.

Ever since Lionel Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer, the Argentine superstar has shown signs of decline. While he has shown glimpses of his brilliance in the UEFA Champions League, that form has not transpired into Ligue 1.

As such, questions were raised about whether Lionel Messi is in the right headspace ahead of such a crucial game for PSG against Real Madrid. James highlighted how Lionel Messi has failed to adapt seamlessly to a new team unlike Cristiano Ronaldo in the past.

The former Liverpool and Manchester City shot-stopper pointed to Cristiano Ronaldo's ability to adapt as the main reason he rates the Manchester United forward ahead of Messi.

He told Sportskeeda:

“What’s interesting about great players is that there’s the performance on the field where they score the goals and I’ve got to say, almost like automatically produce great events if you’d like, breaking records and stuff.

"But there’s a side to a great player that I argue is the ability to adapt and, if I can chuck in the argument of Ronaldo and Messi over the last 13 years, who’s been the best player, I always go for Ronaldo because he was able to move to different clubs, adapt his game."

James further explained how Cristiano Ronaldo continues to find different ways to become the best. Meanwhile, the Englishman is of the opinion that Messi has more or less been the same type of player despite his obvious brilliance.

"What you see from Ronaldo, not necessarily this season, there is a caveat to that, but what you see from season to season is a different way to play the game to still be the best. Lionel Messi, for all his brilliance, has typically been the same player."

However, with the game against Real Madrid being absolutely critical to the success of the whole PSG project, James admitted he is hoping Lionel Messi can return to his best.

"I’m hoping and the world of football is hoping that Lionel Messi has been able to adjust. He has been at PSG long enough now to embed himself in that kind of lifestyle at a new club. But it’s still unclear whether he is fully comfortable with the adjustment that he is no longer a Barcelona player."

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have endured slow starts in 2022

2021 was undoubtedly an eventful year for both Messi and Ronaldo. In the wake of failing to extend his stay at Barcelona, Messi had to find a new home in the form of PSG.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo forced an exit from Juventus and returned to familiar surroundings with Manchester United. Despite the excitement surrounding their respective transfers, both superstars have slowly endured difficulties on the pitch.

Messi has found the back of the net only twice in 14 league games for PSG, while Ronaldo is currently on a six-game goalless run - his longest since 2010.

Considering how their form has dipped since the turn of the year, it goes without saying they are itching to get back to their menacing best. The upcoming Champions League fixtures offer exactly the right kind of platform for them to do so.

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Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Round 16 - 1st Leg): Paris vs Real Madrid – LIVE on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) & SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels on February 16, 2022, from 1:30 am IST.