With Argentina's Leonel Messi having won his sixth Ballon d'Or trophy, the daily debate that has been going on for a decade now is back on track. Is he really the best footballer in history or is he just a product of marketing and technological advances in communication? The undeniable thing is that both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, his main rival in the dispute of the best of history for this time, have given those of us who have had the joy of seeing him in person or through television, a unique rivalry in history, we are truly privileged to observe live two great superstars at the same time and enjoy week after week of their rivalry.
Were they born or made?
Between Leonel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a big difference in terms of their football training, while the Rosario native showed at a young age a unique, innate, natural talent and a supremely educated left leg, Cristiano Ronaldo was forging his talent based on hours of training and a mental strength that convinced him from a very young age that he could overcome his weaknesses and become an outstanding player as he is today.
Another important element is that Messi had everything in football since childhood, you could say that football was born in a golden cradle, since quickly the Barcelona of Spain an elite team of world football, took it to complement their growth process both physically and football and once overcome that stage, their daily life in a field was surrounded by the presence of superstars who helped him act as one more of them, even debuting professionally in one that many analysts have been one of the best half-court in history.
While Cristiano Ronaldo was making his professional debut in a small team in a small league, where there was no star reference for the time, so it was his turn to become a star. This undoubtedly represents a greater merit for the Portuguese.
Many good, many times.
Football has been for a long time and will continue to be, without a doubt, the most played sport in the world. Obviously, many stars have emerged throughout history that could be equal or superior to those named, but that we will never know if it is a certain hypothesis because it is not in the present time and in the conditions as it is played it trains and it is lived nowadays, the total soccer of Cruyff, of Argentina the cradle of Leonel Messi, also have left Alfredo Di Stefano, Daniel Passarella, Gabriel Batistuta, Javier Zanetti, Mario Alberto Kempes, Riquelme, Carlos Tevez, but from other latitudes we have also had the acrobatic Hugo Sanchez of Mexico who, like him, has scored showy goals, the Peruvian Teofilo Cubillas, Puckas, Ronaldo, Michael Platini and Jean Tigana both from the French golden midfield, Marcos Van Basten, Franco Baresi, Zico, Muller, Paul Gascoine, Romario, Eusebio, Lottar Matthaus, Don Andrés Iniesta, Rudi Gullit, didi, Garrincha, Karl Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Frank Rijkaad, Carlos el pibe Valderrama and so many others that are missing and form an endless list of footballers of excellent quality that could be as or better than Leonel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but that shone in other times with less communicational penetration.
What kings say.
Edson Arantes Do Nacimiento; King Pele and Diego Armando Maradona, were the predecessors of Messi and Cristiano in the battle "hand to hand" to be the best in the world, considered the real number one in history, both believe that to be the best in history both Messi and Cristiano must achieve what they both achieved, being world champions as well as being crowned at the Colossus of Santa Ursula the majestic Aztec stadium in the Mexican capital, where Pele lifted the cup in 1970 while Maradona did the same in 1986.
If we follow the opinion of the kings of yesteryear, we can say that there is a player from more recent times who won it all and for his magic, irreverent football and joy he gave to the world is better than Leonel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and is none other than the football magician Ronaldinho, the only player in history to have won five of the six major competition trophies: World Cup 2002, Copa America 1999, Confederations 2005, Champions League 2006, Copa Libertadores 2013.
In addition Ronaldinho King of kings won:
- U17 World Cup in 1997.
- Gaucho Championship in 1999.
- Sul Minas Cup in 1999.
- Intertoto Cup in 2001.
- Spanish League in 2004/2005 and 2005/2006.
- Supercup in 2005 and 2006.
- Italian Serie A in 2010/2011.
- Carioca Championship in 2011.
- Guanabara Cup in 2011.
- Rio Cup in 2011.
- Mineiro Championship in 2013
- South American Cup in 2013.
In any case, while this may be Messi and Cristiano's last chance to win a World Cup when it is played in Qatar, it would be interesting to know whether Leonel Messi has the same goalscoring and title-winning ability in a more competitive league as rivals with real title options, as is the case in England for example; that at least eight teams can fight for the title in one season and not like in Spain that if it is not Real Madrid the champion is Barcelona with an Atletico de Madrid that from time to time scares a little bit to both, while the other teams that participate seem only companions or complements with a level much lower than the two big ones of Spain.
For now we know for sure that the numbers of Leonel Messi outside the Barsa, specifically in Argentina are not very favorable to say that it is "the best player in history”.
In the meantime, tell us after reading this article who you think is the best footballer in history.
Don't forget to comment on who is best for you.
See you next time.
post written by Daniel Gómez @dango1411