Messi v. Ronaldo
Every soccer fan in this generation knows that the best soccer player in the world is between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. No doubt about that. But who really is the best soccer in the world in today’s generation? Taking the history between these two elite athletes, they both prove to have competitive stats. Last season 2015/2016, Messi scored 26 goals and had 16 assists in 33 appearances in La Liga. That equates to 0.78 goals per game. Ronaldo on the other, playing in the same league scored 35 goals and had 11 assists in 36 appearances. This equates to 0.97 goals per game for Ronaldo. Although goal ratio statistics favor Ronaldo, Messi won La Liga cup after placing first place with his team, Barcelona. Ronaldo’s team, Real Madrid, placed second place only one point behind. Barcelona was first with a record of 29-4-5 with 91 points. Real Madrid placed second with 28-6-4 with 90 points. Both athletes also participated in the UEFA Champion’s League. In the Champion’s League 2015/2016, Messi scored 6 goals and 1 assist in 7 appearances after being eliminated in quarterfinals against Atletico de Madrid. Ronaldo scored 16 goals and made 4 assists in 12 appearances. Messi had a 0.85 goal per game ratio whereas Ronaldo had a 1.33 goal per game ratio. In here, the stats favor Ronaldo especially since he won the Champion’s League with his team after beating Atletico Madrid in penalties. Ronaldo had a better goal per game ratio in La Liga and the Champion’s League and he won the Champion’s League trophy. Messi had more assists in La Liga and won La Liga trophy. The 2015/2016 stats seem to favor Ronaldo more. But who has actually achieved more in this 2015/2016 season? Messi won the Ballon d’Or , UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, Copa del Rey, and La Liga trophy. In one single year, Messi was able to earn 5 different cups with his team. Ronaldo only won 2 cups in that year. He won the European Championship with his national team Portugal, and the Champion’s League trophy with Real Madrid.
Messi and Ronaldo have very impressive tight statistics for the year 2015/2016 that makes them honestly the best soccer players of this generation. Statistics favor one of them, Ronaldo. Achievements and trophies favor another, Messi. Although numbers are a good way to represent and compare who are good athletes and to differentiate whom the best one is, achievements play a bigger role. Messi has by far more trophies than Ronaldo, which make him superior than him in being a champion. Messi has won 5 Ballon d’Or trophies which represent who was the player of the year. Messi won them in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. Ronaldo has won 2 Ballon d’Or. One in 2014 and another in 2015. Since the year 2010, Messi has also won La Liga five times in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 and Ronaldo only once in 2012. From 2010, both athletes have also won the same amount of Champions League. Messi has won two, one in 2011 and the most recent in 2015. Ronaldo has also won two, one in 2014 and the other this year in 2016. The trophies and awards says it all and shows that Messi has been better than Ronaldo with more awards given to him showing that he is the best in the world in this generation. Statistics can say Ronaldo may have had better season the previous season than Messi, but in the long run, Messi has show to be better than Ronaldo. In all total appearances since Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid from Manchester United, Ronaldo has 360 appearances with 371 goals and 104 assists. That is a 1.03 goal per game ratio. Messi has made 384 appearances so far with 389 goals and 149 assists. That is a 1.01 goal per game ratio to Messi. They have a very similar goal per game ratio, but Messi has significantly more assists than Ronaldo has making him a better performer than Ronaldo is. The statistics are very tight with both athletes, but favor Messi more and Messi has indeed more trophies than Ronaldo has ever won which brings to the conclusion that Messi is the best soccer player in the world in this generation.
