The debate over who is the best between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will never end. This is a normal case because both are special.
But the question is, why do most of Manchester United’s former player actually choose Messi as the best? In fact, Ronaldo has defended Manchester United.
Wayne Rooney for example. The English striker has repeatedly insisted Messi is better than Ronaldo.
Recently Wayne Rooney made a statement that was quite surprising. He claimed to prefer Messi than Ronaldo.
Rooney and Ronaldo have worked together to bring Manchester United as the best team in the world in a period of six years (2004-2010).
In that period both succeeded in winning 11 prestigious titles including three Premier League championship trophies and one Champions League title.
To be sure Rooney-Ronaldo is listed as two of the best attackers that Man United has ever had. However, that does not mean Rooney is on Ronaldo’s side. He claimed to prefer Messi.
“Apart from my friendship with Cristiano, I always choose Messi. It’s the same as when I watched Xavi [Hernandez] and [Paul] Scholes,” Rooney said, quoted by Marca.
In Rooney’s eyes, Messi is a football artist. The Argentine can easily score goals without having to kick as hard as Ronaldo used to do.
“Cristiano is cruel in the penalty box, he is a murderer. But Messi will torture you before killing you. He is like having fun,” Rooney said.
Long before the comment appeared, Rooney had expressed admiration for Messi in his biography.
“He did extraordinary things … In my opinion, Messi is the best player ever. The way he plays and scores, is spectacular,” Rooney said.
Manchester United legend, David Beckham, also has a similar opinion with Rooney. Despite recognizing the two superstar are above the other players, but Messi is considered number one.
“He [Messi] is alone in his class. There is no way there will be other players like him. Like Ronaldo, being above other players. It’s amazing to the world of football because they both play at the same time. But, Messi is the best player in the world, “Beckham said.
While other Man United legends, Gary Neville and Nemanja Vidic, chose to be in the middle. Messi-Ronaldo is considered to have a different character and are both the best at this time.
Both of them dominated the struggle for the Ballon d’Or title for 12 years. Messi won a little by winning six titles while Ronaldo bagged five titles.
In 2018 their dominance had been disrupted by Luka Modric, who successfully led Real Madrid to win the Champions League and Croatia to qualify for the 2018 World Cup final.
A year later Messi regained the Ballon d’Or throne as well as becoming his sixth title. This year, Messi and Ronaldo again competed for the award.
Messi and Ronaldo are indeed a rare phenomenon in football. The debate over who is the best among them will never end like the story of Diego Maradona vs. Pele.
Many say Messi as a football artist, while Ronaldo is a killing machine. No matter who you choose, certainly these two people will always be nominated for the world’s best players.
Debate may continue through numbers or trophies. Messi and Ronaldo are full of achievements at club level but poor at international events.
CR7 has indeed been successful in taking Portugal to the European Cup 2016 championship, but in truth it bears the same fate as Messi; great players who have never tasted world champions.
It’s also not wrong if many people, including former Manchester United players, still choose Messi as the world’s best player. In fact, even if Ronaldo managed to embrace the World Cup trophy.
Because, choice is free will from a sense that does not merely depend on past figures.
