Messi//Ronaldo Debate

I think looking at the connection between the players and their respective clubs is the wrong way to look at it. Real Madrid are ran properly, Barca are not. And that’s not me talking, that’s the champions league trophies, La liga titles, and financial situation of the two clubs. For me, both players had teams built around them that suited them, the Real Madrid teams that won however many champions leagues were constructed by good business and highest standards in club football. The Barca teams that won their couple of UCLs and a few other trophies had almost by coincidence raised a batch of academy products that fit perfectly into a new pep model that no one had yet figured out how to deal with. For instance, the prime tiki taka Barca doesn’t rely on Messi, it relies on the immaculately balanced midfield. Messi’s production is a by-product of that midfield and style that was untouchable for a period of time. Of course Messi is a great player, but as soon as those midfields fall off his production is not the same. Exactly the same thing happens with Argentina. The Argentina midfield are extremely good and balanced, setting the table for Messi to be productive (fifa helping out aside). Certainly in comnebol, those Argentina copa Americas come from simply having the most efficient and balance midfield in the competition. In Qatar’s it certainly didn’t hurt Argentina to have a few calls go their way. Anyway, look at Cristiano. Completely different game, a goal scorer, a phenomenal athlete, and in a system at Real Madrid that allowed physicality and quality to dominate. So the two played in different team contexts, ultimately, it makes the whole conversation an apples and oranges debate. If you value athleticism and well organized club management you probably appreciate cr7 more. If you like sheer footballing quality and chaos in club management you probably appreciate Barca more. I’ve never met a Messi fan that was a pure athlete. And the reason maradona is the goat and not Messi is because despite his frame, maradona was as disproportionately athletic as cr7, and disproportionately technical as Messi. He was literally both. His problem was that he was disproportionately problematic