Who is the best, Messi or Ronaldo? It is an endless debate in the global football world. Lionel Messi is the king on the pitch, while Cristiano Ronaldo is often called the emperor of drama. It is, in truth, an epic battle between the two — an eternal contest in the world of football. The battle is not confined to the green grass of the pitch; it has now spread to social media and to lavish lifestyles. At this World Cup, the two superstars are at the centre of attention, outdoing each other in a way that would shame any Hollywood thriller. Lionel Messi, 39, became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history by scoring twice against Austria, and is now alone on the throne. Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Portuguese prince, set an incredible record by scoring twice against Uzbekistan — particularly for scoring in six consecutive World Cups. Messi was born in 1987. His father, Jorge Horacio, was his first coach. Messi had a genuine love for football, but no one except his grandmother Celia supported him; many did not even want to include him in the game. His grandmother fought against that.
Sadly, Celia did not live to see Messi become a legend. She died in 1998 at the age of 67. Five years later, Messi got his chance at Barcelona somewhat dramatically. In 2005, Argentina won the Under-20 title. Analysis of records shows his Barcelona contract was signed on a napkin — which is probably why it is said that a napkin changed Messi’s life. The Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, on the other hand, was born in 1985 and was the all-time top scorer. “Ronaldo is finished, he has grown old” — so the football world had been saying. But this time the football world discovered another Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Cameroon’s Roger Milla once set a record by scoring at a World Cup. In any case, there are striking differences in Messi and Ronaldo’s lives off the pitch. Ronaldo’s life is like a glamorous film; he has always lived lavishly, with a collection of supercars worth crores almost an obsession. He has his own brand, CR7. All this makes his life a hot topic in the media. Even at 41 his body carries no fat, like that of a young athlete. Messi, however, is above all this — a familiar face from an ordinary middle-class family. He married his childhood sweetheart Antonela and is happy with three children. Messi is seen at the beach with his family, sometimes playing football with the children. As for who rules social media, Ronaldo must be put ahead: he is now the first person in the world to have more than a billion followers across all social-media platforms. He is proud and likes to speak bluntly. Messi, on this front, is far more restrained — always soft-spoken at news conferences, and untouched by controversy.
Football pundits say it is very hard to separate the two on an overall assessment of their personal lives. Messi has professionalism, which is perhaps why many call him the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Messi’s collection holds a record number of trophies and Ballons d’Or. If the equations work out, the two superstars could meet in a possible quarter-final at this World Cup in Kansas City on 11 July — but that depends on Argentina and Portugal winning their respective knockout matches. Only then could the football world get to see the two stars’ final battle on the world stage. In performance on the pitch, Messi is truly a magician; in the drama of life, Ronaldo is the real entertainment. Cristiano Ronaldo’s life is full of glamour. Ronaldo has already said: “I am back.” The hint was aimed at Messi. Messi changed football history by scoring five goals against Algeria and Austria — including a hat-trick.
Cristiano Ronaldo was then in the back row. He did not take long, though. Scoring two goals against Uzbekistan, he told the world: “I am back again.” He also wrote the record of playing in six World Cups in his own way. Messi has never made a bad comment about Ronaldo; in many cases he has praised him. Ronaldo, however, is the opposite.
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