Messi or Ronaldo

[TheKingNut]

To be remembered as an all time great you've got to have dragged teams through winning tournaments. Pele, Maradona, Platini. Xavi has done that already with both Barca and Spain...I just dont see Ronaldo doing that.

[jabarinho]

This is true. Nobody remembers who finished second. But in terms of quality of individual performances, putting the group accolades aside, xavi cannot be ahead of ronnie.
Also, put CR7 in that spain team and that barca team and I am sure he have the same trophies as xavi.
Newayz, messi still pwns them both lol

[Adi]

Xavi didn't drag any team anywhere... he's been on dominant teams whenever he's had success.  Spain and Barca have been miles ahead of everyone else over the last 5 years.  No arguing that.  Portugal is half the team Spain is, and Ronaldo has played in the semi-final of the World Cup and final of EURO with a team that's not as good as others in the tournament.  He wasn't great throughout those tournaments but he helped him team get there, something we can't say for Messi with Argentina for example.

[TheKingNut]

jarbinhead, Xavi's individual performances are better than Ronaldos.

Adi, Yes Xavi has been on good teams but he dictates everything on the pitch for possibly the greatest club side ever. If Spain and Barca replaced Xavi with Ronaldo they would not be as successful.

[tbc]

i m into freestyle, not much interest in soccer. but honestly messi is insane regardless of statistics. his style, his speed, his ability to play one with the team everything attracts my attention.

[jabarinho]

lol @ 'jarbinhead'... .....when xavi has a bad game or an average game, barca and spain usually still win and play well. When CR7 has a bad game madrid and portugal play shit and usually have to battle out a draw.
Also, man utd would never have won champ league and BPL in 2008 without ronnie's 40 goals in all competitions. Xavi and ronnie both have great individual abilities but I give the edge to ronnie.

[TheKingNut]

When Ronnie has a bad game Portugal play shit? He was supremely average in 2004 and 2006 but they still got very far in tournaments.

You wouldn't know if Spain or Barca win when Xavi plays badly because he never does. He is so consistenly excellent that you wouldn't know.

[Miran Pirner]

Kranjčar! 

[TheKingNut]

the other nights champ league match....another example of xavi better than ronaldo....its hard being right all the time. I feel for you un educated american helms.

[DanTheMan]

anyone who thinks ronaldo is better can fuck off..
Messi is a genious, probably going to be the greatest player since Maradona ever..
Lets hope he doesnt do a Ronaldinho and become unmotivated and fat in a few years...
Messi can take on 10 players and score from ridiculous situations..Plus hes not an arrogant shit.
Furthermore, Messi scored a great header against Man utd in the champions league final 2 yrs ago, so forget all this stuff about aerial threat

Messi all day all day

[jabarinho]

the other nights champ league match....another example of xavi better than ronaldo....its hard being right all the time. I feel for you un educated american helms.

I thought i cleared this up for u already Nutman? Ronnie's job is not to make passes, dribble at the half-way line and switch play for his team like xavi. If u told me xavi better than alonso or pepe or khedira i could understand, because xavi dominated the midfield area.
And besides it is plain to see for any1 that messi won that champ lgue 1st leg all by himself. Xavi didn't do shit, except make a few sideways and backward passes to keep possession.
BTW i didn't hear u say anything after pepe dominated xavi in the king's cup final.....culminating with a brilliant headed goal by ronnie.
Also dude this is the 'messi vs ronnie' thread Why didn't u post this in the 'xavi best player in the world' thread that u made?

[Adi]

Pepe was also crucial in the first half.  He kept Xavi more quite than usual.  He certainly didn't have his way.  I think the game would've turned out differently had he stayed on the pitch.

Speaking of Ronaldo, he's still having a brilliant season.  He is frustrated though.  He's not playing the football he wants to play.  Mourinho is using him differently, not allowing him to come deep to get the ball and dribble up.  I don't think this does Ronaldo any favors.  In a more free flowing offense, he'd be the #2 player in the world again.