Messi or Ronaldo? Or are we missing the point?

‘Neither can live while the other survives’ is the prophecy that captured the very essence of the Harry Potter series. This is however misconstrued by most to describe the Messi and Ronaldo rivalry, when in fact it is the exact opposite.

An exasperating number of articles have been published comparing the different weapons in their armors, an endless number of interviews done by legends across the world, with everyone expressing their take on the matter. And the debate rages on! And why shouldn’t it? It is truly a ‘once in a life time’ scenario where two players of such immense quality are at the top of their games simultaneously. And we, as spectators are truly blessed to have paid witness to something so remarkable.

The rivalry between these two is unlike any other rivalry in the history of football. People would always argue that the Pele and Maradona debate isn’t over yet, but a direct comparison between the two is unjust. Quite simply because the two played in different eras. The story here though is rather different. A comparison hence, is inevitable.

Having said that, while comparing two players is an enthusiast’s dream, it does tend to make one overlook the bigger picture, something that would go on to define this era – dominated by the two ‘would-be’ legends. The similarities between the two and their career graphs is uncanny to say the least. Citing an example, both players were diagnosed with conditions that could have ended their careers before they had even started, as Messi suffered from a growth hormone deficiency syndrome and Ronaldo from a racing heart condition. Similarly both made professional debuts at the age of 17. Also, as most would agree, it was at the age of 21 that the two truly came of age, with Ronaldo scoring 23 goals in the ’06-07 season and leading Manchester United United to their first league title in 4 years, while on the other hand, it was in ’08-09 season that Messi’s 38 goals helped Barca attain an unprecedented sextuple of titles after two trophy-less years. Again, it was in ’08-09 that Ronaldo was first deployed centrally, almost as a striker and it was in the same year with the departure of Ronaldinho that Messi was first positioned in the ‘false centre forward’ role. And all this, much before the two even knew of each others’ existence.

The beauty of them being pitted against one another, time and again has been exemplified by the fact that the two have attained greater heights since Ronaldo’s arrival in La Liga. For instance, Ronaldo has scored 66 goals in 63 La Liga matches, whilst Messi has scored 65 goals in 68 games in the Spanish first division. In the season before Ronaldo’s arrival, Messi had scored a staggering 38 goals in all competetions with 23 of them coming in the league. Yet it pales in comparison to what he has produced since Ronaldo’s entrance. Similarly, when Ronaldo drove United to Champions League glory, he was considered to be at the summit of his career. His performance was out-of-the-world that season. And yet, as ridiculous as it may be, he has one upped himself and reached even greater heights.

Their game-play has also seen a change or dare I say, an improvement in certain departments. Messi, for instance, has developed a terrific free-kick which had traditionally been Ronaldo’s territory. On the flip side, Ronaldo appears to have modified his style too- a more team oriented Ronaldo is seen tracking back these days as he provides excellent link-up play. The fact that they are helping one another unconsciously by adding different dimensions to their respective styles of play is quite ironic, when clearly this is the last thing on their minds as they play for rival clubs. Hence, in my opinion the rivalry between the two is more like a rivalry in an individual sport. For instance, Federer and Nadal from Tennis or Prost and Senna from Formula 1, all of whom stated that it’s because of their respective rivals that they became better competitors. And in harmony with that, these two, also unconsciously strive to become better and are driven week after week.

‘Ruthless’ and ‘rogue’ are just some of the words that can be attributed to Ronaldo, while Messi is just plain and simple ‘Mesmerizing’. That is the sad reality which Ronaldo faces, which makes him ‘The Dark Lord’ of the football world. Ronaldo no doubt is a fantastic player, a player of his calibre comes along once in several decades, and factors beyond his control have robbed him of the credit he truly deserves. It is not his fault that Messi was born with a growth deficiency syndrome. What Messi can do with the ball on his feet is stunning, and to be able to do that at his miniature size is something that makes him all the more unbelievable to behold. Also, Messi being low-key and an amiable team player is not Ronaldo’s fault. And to top it all, Messi plays for Beautiful Barca, the ambassadors of what football is supposed to be. All this clubbed with Ronaldo’s rakish character have made him the villain of the football world which is why his obvious talents take a backseat when one starts talking about the two. It is due to the same reason that even the most hardcore Ronaldo fan could appreciate what Messi can produce, whilst a person who doesn’t even understand football can hate Ronaldo.

The verdict is hence clear – their destinies are bound together for eternity. And to belittle Ronaldo’s role in Messi’s greatness is unfair. Consequently, when I think about the two I am reminded of something that was said by former Barcelona and Real Madrid legend Luis Figo recently – “It’s like when you eat something, why choose one meal, when you can try both?”