They're not finished. They're still two of the planet's best footballers and will battle for the game's biggest prizes over the next few years, but it's clear now that the 2021-22 season marks a personal decline for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano that's indicative of life as a professional athlete in your mid to late thirties. Show
For Messi, it'll be the first time in 14 years that he doesn't surpass 30 goals across all competitions. He's at seven with just 10 matches remaining. For Ronaldo — who also has very little chance of reaching 30 goals (something he's done in 11 of the past 12 years) — it's probably more meaningful that this season marks the first time he's ever fallen to Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid in the Champions League. It's a run worth recalling. 2014: Atlético and Real meet in the final. Ronaldo scores the last goal in Real's 4-1 win. 2015: Atlético loses to Real and Ronaldo in the quarterfinals, 1-0 on aggregate. 2016: Atlético and Real meet again in the final. Ronaldo converts the decisive spot kick in the penalty shootout. 2017: Atlético and Real meet in the semifinals. It's over after the first leg when Ronaldo scores a hat-trick at the Bernabéu. 2018: Atlético avoid Ronaldo by playing in and winning the Europa League! 2019: Atlético meets Ronaldo's new club Juventus in the last-16 and takes a 2-0 first leg lead! Ronaldo scores a hat-trick in the return leg, Juve wins 3-2. 2020: Atlético and Juventus are drawn together in the group stage. Juve finishes top by winning and drawing against Atléti. 2021: No meeting. 2022: Atlético meets Ronaldo's new club Manchester United in the last-16. ATLÉTICO WINS 2-1 ON AGGREGATE! Ronaldo was unplayable three days ago when scoring an outrageous hat-trick against Tottenham, but he went the way of Messi against Real Madrid on Tuesday night at Old Trafford. The Portuguese legend didn't attempt a shot, although he wasn't provided any service from Bruno Fernandes (who was a 10 out of 10 when it came to talking to the referee and a 2 out of 10 when it came to playing football), Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga. The problems at United go far beyond Ronaldo (Fred was perhaps the team's best player), and Atlético's deciding goal in the 41st minute was a great example of that. João Félix was played into space out wide and it looked like he could send in a cross for Renan Lodi at the back post if he spotted him, but Félix instead opted to shift it to Antoine Griezmann, who had noticed Lodi in space, and the Frenchman found the Brazilian for the downward header. In all this time Diogo Dalot showed a complete lack of defensive awareness at full back.
On CBS Peter Drury said the atmosphere at Old Trafford was worthy of at least a Champions League quarterfinal, but there was a sense that neither of these clubs are currently worthy of that stage. Atlético sucked the life out of United over the final 40 minutes to remind us all that yes, the Colchoneros will make anyone suffer in the quarters and better suited to being there. They were also helped by the fact that United looked incredibly naive to their tactics, like they hadn't watched an Atlético match in the last decade. But the Red Devils generally give off that sense of cluelessness when faced with a strong opponent, so maybe there's nothing new there. As for Messi and Ronaldo, it'll be interesting to see if they both return to their respective sides next season. They agreed to similar contracts — two years with the option of a third — but this has been a strangely joyless season for two players that've brought an unquantifiable amount of excitement and greatness to our game. I still wouldn't bet against excellent 2022-23 seasons from either.
Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi - who is the GOAT? It is the biggest conundrum in football since the 'Diego Maradona or Pele?' debate. The question of who is better between the Portuguese phenomenon and the empyrean Argentine has dominated the minds of football fans everywhere for the past decade and will persist into the future. Club and national loyalties can cloud judgement on the matter, while personalities also play a part in how good a player is perceived to be, and most people know who they'd pick. So who really is the greatest of all time? Never mind who you prefer, GOAL has taken a look at how the pair actually shape up head-to-head so you can be fully armed with facts in the eternal argument. Article continues below
Ronaldo has scored more club goals than Messi, but only just and it should be noted that the Manchester United star benefits from having played two more seasons than his Argentine nemesis thus far. Each of them has remarkably netted over 680 club goals in their career so far, with the five seasons between 2009-10 and 2014-15 proving particularly golden as they pushed each other to greater heights. While Ronaldo currently has more goals overall, Messi has the edge in the scoring department, with a higher season average (37.9 to 35), having hit a high of 73 goals in 2011-12, though his average dropped after a disappointing maiden campaign at PSG in 2021-22. Ronaldo's highest season return was 61, which he achieved in 2014-15, and he surpassed the 50-goal mark every season for six years between 2010-11 and 2015-16. Interestingly, while Ronaldo's seasonal totals have declined somewhat in recent years - he failed to break the 30-goal mark in 2018-19 during his first season at Juventus - Messi's have remained consistent, though the Argentine's rate slowed after joining PSG. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Club assists
When it comes to assists, Messi is much superior to Ronaldo and that contrast has become increasingly stark as their respective roles evolve. The fact that Messi creates so many goals as well as scoring them is a major consideration when deciding which player is the GOAT and, while Ronaldo chips in with his fair share, the difference in this particular realm is stark. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Champions League stats
*As of Champions League games played in 2021-22. Ronaldo is the all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League, having shone in the competition with Manchester United and Real Madrid in particular. However, Messi isn't far behind and actually has a fractionally better goal-per-game ratio, so there is a good chance that he could overtake the Man United man if he continues to sparkle in the competition . Ronaldo also holds the record for most overall Champions League appearances, having overtaken Iker Casillas. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: World Cup stats
When it comes to World Cups, Ronaldo and Messi are considered underperformers due to the simple fact that neither has won the competition. Portugal star Ronaldo has scored more goals at the tournament and in fewer appearances, but Messi can claim to have gone furthest, having reached the final with Argentina in 2014. The PSG attacker won the Golden Ball during that tournament, despite missing out on the ultimate glory at the hands of Germany. The furthest Ronaldo reached with Portugal was the Selecao's run to the semi-final in 2006, when they were beaten by France before losing the third-place play-off against Germany. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: International stats
Ronaldo and Messi have similar records at international level, though Ronaldo boasts greater numbers, partly because his senior Portugal career kicked off two years before Messi's with Argentina. Ronaldo equalled Ali Daei's record of 109 international goals at Euro 2020 and then surpassed it with two goals against the Republic of Ireland, becoming the top international goalscorer of all time. Messi is a long way behind Ronaldo in that respect, though he is by some distance Argentina's top goalscorer of all time, surpassing the great Gabriel Batistuta some years ago. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Titles
*National Cups refers to the main national cup competition in a country only, e.g. the FA Cup, Copa del Rey etc. Messi and Ronaldo have very similar trophy hauls, but Messi edges things when it comes to league titles, having won La Liga 10 times with Barcelona. Ronaldo has seven league titles, but unlike Messi, he can claim to have won the league in three different countries (England, Spain and Italy) - something that increases his claim to the GOAT crown in the eyes of some. Ronaldo has an edge over Messi in the Champions League, his love affair with the competition earning him the moniker 'Mr Champions League'. The Manchester United star has also enjoyed notable success on the international stage with Portugal, winning the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League. Messi, on the other hand, has endured considerable heartache with Argentina, with four unsuccessful Copa America campaigns, three of which saw them lose in the final. He finally got his hands on the Copa in 2021, before going to win the 2022 Finalissima. While neither has won the World Cup, Messi has an Olympic gold medal. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Individual awards
The individual battle between Ronaldo and Messi has been the defining feature of modern football for the past decade and more. Messi went ahead of Ronaldo in the Ballon d'Or stakes when he won his sixth in 2019 and cemented his superior status in that field with his seventh in 2021. Ronaldo does boast more of FIFA's new 'The Best' awards and has been crowned UEFA Player of the Year on more occasions, but Messi has won more league Player of the Year accolades. Of course, it must be said that Ronaldo has won the Player of the Year award in England, Spain and Italy. Messi has got his hands on the European Golden Shoe a record six times, which is two more than Ronaldo, and is marginally ahead of his rival overall, but the fact that both have been on the FIFPro World XI 14 times is an illustration of how closely fought the battle has been. |
Who is better Messi or Ronaldo 2022
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 SignalDuo Inc.
