Messi or Ronaldo - Who's best

[Dire Ear]

Pele
Maradona
Messi
Cruyff
Best
Ronaldo 7
others...

[03,05,08]

Pele
Maradona
Messi
Cruyff
Best
Ronaldo 7
others...

Zidane
Ronaldhino
Ronaldo the original

[03,05,08]

Would any English players be in the debate?

[AustinPowers]

Would any English players be in the debate?

Yeah... Gary Lineker said  it was Maradona

[HiMucker]

The reason I suggested Xavi is that for me he changed the way football is played. Messi and Ronaldo whilst very very good. I don't think they entirely changed the game. The game now is far more possession and passing based than it was pre Xavi. Xavi is the main reason for that.

His stats are equally if not more remarkable than Messi or Ronaldos. For example. In the history of the World Cup before Xavi retired only two other players had recorded 100+ successful passes in a single game. Xavi did it 4 times in his first seven matches. Now at this World Cup 10 players managed it in the first round of matches alone.

About 10 years ago Xavi played for 67 minutes in a La Liga game against Levante. In that game Xavi recorded more touches, more passes and more time in possession than the Levante did in 90 minutes.

Of course none of this means I'm correct. But I think it does show how pointless the debate is.

I don't say this to dismiss the quality of Xavi, as he is a true great of the game, but messi could have played that role just as well. Similar to the pele story, Pep said messi was the best player barca had in nearly every position. The talent he has your obviously going to play him where he can do the most damge. I actually think what Greizman is doing in the role for France in this tournament exposes the flexibility of these world class technically gifted players that you don't normally get to see. I remember Weah slotting into centre half at periods for milan when they had injuries, and he looked like a world class centre half is another example. Messi is just the pinnacle for me simply because of the sustained period he has operated at such a level. My father is 82, and he said messi is the greatest player he has seen since pele, but still gave the nod to Pele. Said maradonna, best and few others were probably technically as good, but didn't sustain that level for as long. R9 was probably the player I was most gobsmacked by, simply unstoppable for 5 or 6 years.

[David McKeown]

The reason I suggested Xavi is that for me he changed the way football is played. Messi and Ronaldo whilst very very good. I don't think they entirely changed the game. The game now is far more possession and passing based than it was pre Xavi. Xavi is the main reason for that.

His stats are equally if not more remarkable than Messi or Ronaldos. For example. In the history of the World Cup before Xavi retired only two other players had recorded 100+ successful passes in a single game. Xavi did it 4 times in his first seven matches. Now at this World Cup 10 players managed it in the first round of matches alone.

About 10 years ago Xavi played for 67 minutes in a La Liga game against Levante. In that game Xavi recorded more touches, more passes and more time in possession than the Levante did in 90 minutes.

Of course none of this means I'm correct. But I think it does show how pointless the debate is.

I don't say this to dismiss the quality of Xavi, as he is a true great of the game, but messi could have played that role just as well. Similar to the pele story, Pep said messi was the best player barca had in nearly every position. The talent he has your obviously going to play him where he can do the most damge. I actually think what Greizman is doing in the role for France in this tournament exposes the flexibility of these world class technically gifted players that you don't normally get to see. I remember Weah slotting into centre half at periods for milan when they had injuries, and he looked like a world class centre half is another example. Messi is just the pinnacle for me simply because of the sustained period he has operated at such a level. My father is 82, and he said messi is the greatest player he has seen since pele, but still gave the nod to Pele. Said maradonna, best and few others were probably technically as good, but didn't sustain that level for as long. R9 was probably the player I was most gobsmacked by, simply unstoppable for 5 or 6 years.

Does that not cut both ways. Gundugonan was an amazing false 9 for City a few seasons ago for example. I'm not dismissing Messi or Ronaldo either but I put more weight on what Xavi demonstrated he could do. To me it's more impressive albeit only slightly than Messi or Ronaldo

[Blowitupref]

Would any English players be in the debate?

1966 World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton etc would be.

[thewobbler]

Would any English players be in the debate?

1966 World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton etc would be.

Which brings me back round to my key point in this discussion.

When I was growing up I was left under no illusion that Finney, Matthews, Lofthouse, Wright, Moore, Charlton, Banks, etc were extraordinary, exceptional players. Everyone agreed.  There was so little coverage of them, and most of the coverage of them was playing FA Cup matches against substandard opponents on rubbish pitches, so why would anyone disagree?

My best guess is that none of them would have laced Wayne Rooney's boots. Now he was a talent. But as he was judged by Messi and Ronaldos' standards, Rooney's career is often painted as unfulfilled.

[Blowitupref]

Would any English players be in the debate?

1966 World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton etc would be.

Which brings me back round to my key point in this discussion.

When I was growing up I was left under no illusion that Finney, Matthews, Lofthouse, Wright, Moore, Charlton, Banks, etc were extraordinary, exceptional players. Everyone agreed.  There was so little coverage of them, and most of the coverage of them was playing FA Cup matches against substandard opponents on rubbish pitches, so why would anyone disagree?

My best guess is that none of them would have laced Wayne Rooney's boots. Now he was a talent. But as he was judged by Messi and Ronaldos' standards, Rooney's career is often painted as unfulfilled.

Probably need to stop guessing if that's your best effort.

[Newbridge Exile]

Pele
Maradona
Messi
Cruyff
Best
Ronaldo 7
others...

Zidane
Ronaldhino
Ronaldo the original

Zico

[Armagh18]

The reason I suggested Xavi is that for me he changed the way football is played. Messi and Ronaldo whilst very very good. I don't think they entirely changed the game. The game now is far more possession and passing based than it was pre Xavi. Xavi is the main reason for that.

His stats are equally if not more remarkable than Messi or Ronaldos. For example. In the history of the World Cup before Xavi retired only two other players had recorded 100+ successful passes in a single game. Xavi did it 4 times in his first seven matches. Now at this World Cup 10 players managed it in the first round of matches alone.

About 10 years ago Xavi played for 67 minutes in a La Liga game against Levante. In that game Xavi recorded more touches, more passes and more time in possession than the Levante did in 90 minutes.

Of course none of this means I'm correct. But I think it does show how pointless the debate is.

Jesus those are wild stats. Like you say it's all down to preference, always felt that great Spain team weren't great to watch a lot of the time. No doubt Xavi was a class act though!

[Wildweasel74]

Zico, now there was a good player, played in a team with everything round him except a keeper and central defender. Still think Brazil 82 and, Hungary were better than many a team to win the world cup. Only stand out world cup winners of recent yrs is, Brazil 2002, then am bck the whole way to 1970 for the nxt good one..France twice('18'98), Spain '10, decent. 2 German teams functional (' 14,'90.) the current French team looks, Functional, missing few, good players. Argentina maybe a bit more to them, but again there lost to Saudi Arabia.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Plenty of random names flying about for the sake of it now for laughable reasons, it's getting out of hand. It's pretty clear and obvious it's Messi.

[gawa316]

Surprised Redondo or even Leyton Hewitt have not got a mention

[Jell 0 Biafra]

If you'd all get past the idea that the best player needs to be an attacker, you'd see it's very obviously a toss-up between Maldini and McGrath.

With honorable mention to Zanetti.