People often ask who is better out of Messi and Ronaldo. And most of the time the answer is the same... who cares, just appreciate them both.

But the more I think about it the more it becomes obvious that the short answer is Messi.

And the long answer is Ronaldo.

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Why?

Short answer. Messi is the best player in the best team that has arguably ever existed. Barca have been in the top 3 of 4 teams in the world his ENTIRE career. This isn't a thread about stats. You all know them. They are unreal. Goals. Assists. He has no equal.

But here's the rub. Messi has been successful for one team, playing largely one, at best two styles of play for two decades. He has never had to change his game, bar slight alterations and has had everything built around him. Rightfully so. He's the fucking goat.

Ronaldo has been wildly successful at 4 different teams. All evolving. All at different stages. He has adapted his game at every stage. From a dribbling winger to a counter attacking wide forward through to the talismanic figure at Madrid.

For his country he built a team in his image that functioned with and without him. In recent years he has adapted again. Conserving his energy to attack in bursts. He has been, at various stages, the best player in three different leagues AND internationally.

He has challenged himself. Again and again and again. And constantly met those challenges. Messi by contrast wrote the best symphony in the world at aged 18 and has played it on repeat ever since.

Yes it's still the fucking best. But where is the range?

So if you ask me who the best player in the world is. Hell the best player who has ever lived. I answer... Messi... for Barcelona.

But if you ask me which player would be the first name in an all time world XI. It's Ronaldo.

So there you go. Short answer. Long answer.

Whether you agree with me or not is up to you.

After all... the real answer is who cares. They are both the absolute - it just depends entirely in which field you're looking in.

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