Is messi or ronaldo the best?

If you were faced with a choice, without
sentiment, of who deserves the tag of World
Player of the Year, which of these two stars
would get your nod?
With the latest controversy raging over Lionel
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, we cannot help but
put a microscope on these two living legends of
the game and try to evaluate their strengths in
several departments of the game.
Has Messi lost his grip on the crown of World
Player of the Year?
Has Ronaldo done enough to dethrone his long-
time rival by his 2013 calendar year
performances?
Please note the key words here. We are
evaluating their qualities on the pitch and their
football-related performance, not off-the-pitch
controversies or sentiments.
Speed on the ball
Messi: In the legendary Pep Guardiola’s words,
which are in unison with mine, “Lionel Messi is
the fastest player I have ever seen with the ball
at his foot. He is faster making a run with the
ball as making one without it.”
An informed Messi drives defenders insane with
his high-tempo dribbling with the ball at his
feet, with his ability to break out with speed
and change direction at the same time without
losing pace.
Ronaldo: How fast Ronaldo plays can only be
understood when you watch him play live. He
explodes at a phenomenal pace that leaves
most defenders stranded and helpless. Though
he needs more room than Messi to be explosive,
he seems to glide in the air when at full
throttle.
That is quite logical when you consider that he is
way taller than Lionel Messi.
Defending:
Modern football demands that all players
participate in their team’s defending. To what
extent, however, varies from player to player.
Messi often initiates the high pressing by his
team, often in the opponents’ half, but rarely do
we see him defend or follow deep down into his
own goal area.
It must, however, be noted that Barcelona often
average 65 per cent of ball possession, therefore
Messi is not required to defend that much.
The amount of off-the-ball defense Ronaldo
puts in for Real Madrid when he plays is
impressive. He not only helps deep down into
his own goal area but plays a major role in
defending set pieces against his team.
His defensive generosity explains why he is more
sanctioned with yellow cards than his rival.
Shooting:
Ronaldo is so good in this department he
practically invented a shooting style, where the
ball takes a bizarre but effective spin and depth
just before it reaches the goalkeeper. Each
season, he scores loads of goals from long-range
shooting and is excellent at this exercise with
both feet.
Messi excels at shooting but from a closer range
to goal. He prefers to “strike the ball with a
curling effect” as opposed to sheer strength and
power.
Once again caution must be exercised here as
Barcelona’s playing style of “Tiki Taka” into the
opponents goal area presents Messi with the
luxury of striking at goal from close range.
Ball control and technique:
If there were ever two players of the same
generation close to a 10 out of 10 rating in ball
control and technique, they are Messi and
Ronaldo.
They excel, with Ronaldo seeming to have the
edge with his artistic mastery. Loads of YouTube
videos attest to this.
Messi has the edge when we consider running
with ball control techniques and dribbling in
areas with little room.
Physical fitness:
Lionel Messi once went over 25 games without
missing one for Barcelona. This is only
achievable if, as a player, one is exceptionally fit
and rested. His high level of fitness enables him
to contain the ceaseless assaults he has to
endure from defenders.
Cristiano Ronaldo is so fit that he models for
underwear and is known to be a workaholic
though, due to his playboy looks, critics fail to
see or admit that he is probably the most fit
player there is today.
Goals:
The 2013 goal scoring statistics are clearly in
Ronaldo’s favour. Messi has struggled to stay fit
as hamstring injuries have multiplied and, as
such, he has missed key games this year.
Ronaldo is yet to miss a game due to injuries.
Team player:
Most would say Lionel Messi is more of a team
player as he celebrates his goals in a team
manner, while Ronaldo is all about himself.
Could it be that Messi has a team player look
because he plays in a club in which the players
sacrifice their individual glory in service of the
Golden Goose Messi? Being the good fellow that
he is, he then thanks them in this way?
Could it be that Ronaldo plays in an opposite
kind of team and has to score most of his goals
out of nothing or nearly nothing?
It is hard to show team love when it’s not
reciprocal.
The winner is?
Personally, I feel Frank Ribery is the world’s best
player at the moment.

Who do you think should get it?