Messi and Ronaldo: Gods among Human

Football has seen lots of iconic rivalries over history, like Pele vs Eusebio, Maradona vs Platini, Cruyff vs Beckenbauer and Zidane vs Ronaldinho. However, it is quite difficult for anyone to give an edge to one over another as they all are some of the greatest footballers stepping on a pitch. But, the above iconic rivalries has been replaced by even more iconic one, as Messi and Ronaldo have taken it to the whole new extent. There is literally no football enthusiast who has not been asked regarding which of the two greats has supremacy over other. However, it is impossible to provide an adequate answer as it is very hard to compare them, but no one can deny the fact that both of them are more than superior to other footballers in past or present. Making rivalry more interesting is that they play for two arch rivals clubs, Lionel Messi for FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid respectively.
Talking about their playing style, they both always have been different to each other in terms of playing style and their role for their respective teams through different phases of time. In early stages, Ronaldo was just an entertaining midfielder for a crowd who’d come only to see pure magic coming off his quick feet, later he adopts the role of an out-and-out winger blasting through the wings leaving defenders overwhelmed with the tricks up his sleeves, to the goal-scoring winger who would harm his opponents in ways others can only assume of, to a complete goal-scoring machine, a scourge for goal-keepers. While Messi, starting as a main striker for his team going nightmare for opponent defenders and goal-keepers with his jaw-dropping quick moves and ankle-breaking dribbles passing through the bunch of defenders leaving them stunned for a moment until the ball is in the net, to the winger making defenders and keeper disquiet at the same time, to dropping deep in the field creating game for his teammates, working as a main engine of the team. The changing of playing styles defines their versatility, adapting their game for the need of their respective teams, no other player would change his position or his game for the sake of team like they did, and still, they dominate every aspect of the game. Ronaldo is a nightmare of goal-keepers having fine finishing, he can score a goal in every way possible with his both legs and his world-class heading ability and his off the ball movement like a fox in the box leaving defenders impaired on set pieces and crosses, winning the ball and scoring goals. While Messi being a nightmare for defenders and probably the best dribbler of a ball, can go through the opponents literally making them like kites in a storm, his passing, vision and accuracy are just unmatchable. He can literally provide a ball from any corner of the field in the footsteps of the attacker. Although their game has not been same as it was years back, as age has played its role in declining them, however, their numbers did not decline, they still manage to come on top every season outscoring every player challenging them for their throne.
They have taken down the world of football by performing consistently week in and week out dominating every game, winning them single-handedly for the team when needed. They both share 1000+ goals and about 500 assists among them, holding hundreds of records, dozens of the individual as well as collective team trophies. In each of the last ten editions of the Balon d’Or awards, the greatest piece of personal silverware in the football world has gone to Messi or Ronaldo, five each. There are now a number of younger players waiting to pounce on football’s most coveted personal prize, and the time of final reckoning in the battle of the worlds greatest two is close at hand. However, there will be huge expectations from upcoming generation, the audience will demand similar extraordinary results and entertainment which they both provided in their sheer dominance in football for over a decade.
Football will never be same after their retirements. They took the expectations of a crowd to such a level where no other player can reach, they made the records which no other player can even think of breaking, and their unreal stats can’t be matched by any other player. They will go down as two greatest football players world has ever witnessed.