Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: Why the Barca Star's Had a Better Season

Has Lionel Messi played better than Cristiano Ronaldo this season? 

Or has Ronaldo, who scored the pivotal El Clásico goal which all but sealed La Liga for Real Madrid, trumped the Argentinian?

With both Barcelona and Real Madrid out of the UEFA Champions League, what happens in the final will have no bearing on who wins the next FIFA Ballon d'Or. 

Here are five reasons why I believe Messi has been better than Ronaldo this season. 

5. Lionel Messi Is a Better Dribbler Than Cristiano Ronaldo

Since moving to Real Madrid, Ronaldo has cut down on the flashy dribbling moves. 

With the exception of an occasional step-over, the large majority of Ronaldo's dribbling stats are accumulated by accelerating past the right-back. 

Messi still has the cojones to absorb contact whilst dribbling through a congested midfield. 

	Completed Dribbles	Dribbles Per Game
Ronaldo	94	2.4
Messi	213	4.5

4. Lionel Messi Is a Better Passer Than Cristiano Ronaldo

Operating in a deep-lying forward role coupled with Barcelona's tiqui-taca philosophy, Messi will always complete more passes than Ronaldo. 

Messi, being more selfless than Ronaldo, is the main reason why the Argentine has 16 more career assists than the Portuguese, even though Ronaldo has played 106 more career games.  

	Average Passes Per Game	Pass Completion	Shots Created	Assists
Ronaldo	39.3	79.8%	81	16
Messi	72.6	85.6%	121	35

3. Lionel Messi Had a Better Champions League Campaign Than Cristiano Ronaldo

Both Messi and Ronaldo suffered emotional exits from their respective UEFA Champions League semifinals. 

Messi had a better Champions League campaign than Ronaldo, especially with that memorable five-goal haul against Bayer Leverkusen. 

Ronaldo had his chance to inflate his statistics, when he shot 16 times in two legs against APOEL.

	Games	Goals	Assists
Ronaldo	10	10	3
Messi	11	14	5

2. Lionel Messi Is More Productive Than Cristiano Ronaldo

Messi's goals scored/created average of 1.78 per game is FIFA-like. Mind you Cristiano Ronaldo's 1.41 average is also top notch. 

What's incredible is that both of them play in a more defensive era. However, both are afforded a lot more protection than Pelé was. 

	Games	Goals	Assists
Ronaldo	51	56	16
Messi	55	63	35

1. Lionel Messi Is More Efficient Than Cristiano Ronaldo

The No. 1 reason why Messi has been better than Ronaldo this season is because the Barcelona forward is more efficient. 

Two months ago, Ronaldo hadn't scored from 38 consecutive free kicks. 

He averages 1.3 and 0.5 more shots per game than Messi in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League respectively. 

Not to mention, Ronaldo has made 1,306 less passes than Messi, but is equal with the Argentine in the race for the Pichichi and scored four less goals in the Champions League. 

	Shots Per Game	Goals
Ronaldo	7.1	56
Messi	6.2	63

Cristiano Ronaldo's Defending Isn't That Much Better Than Lionel Messi's

I want to clear this misconception up before someone comments that Ronaldo's attacking statistics are inferior to Messi's because the Real Madrid forward "works like an animal" every game, while Messi doesn't. 

At Manchester United, there was a time when Wayne Rooney played out wide because Ronaldo was a defensive liability out on the flanks—it was also more logical to play someone with his goal-scoring ability up front. 

Ronaldo has the physical attributes to average two tackles and two interceptions per game, but he isn't wired to "work like an animal" every game. 

Surprisingly, Messi has won back more possession than Ronaldo, even though Ronaldo does more defending (corners, free kicks and sometimes tracking the right-back). 

	Tackles	Tackles Per Game	Interceptions	Interceptions Per Game
Ronaldo	26	0.7	25	0.6
Messi	30	0.6	23	0.5

Final Comment

If I had to choose between the pair, I'd go for Messi. 

Who would I prefer to watch? Easily Ronaldo. 

That backheel goal against Rayo Vallecano was unbelievable. The physics-defying goal against Levante was unstoppable. Oh, and don't forget about that acrobatic Zlatan Ibrahimović-esque goal against Málaga. 

Ronaldo is bigger, stronger, faster and just as talented as Messi—yet Messi has consistently outperformed Ronaldo. 

This season, Messi has choked twice from 12 yards out.

Sevilla's Javi Varas saved his 95th-minute penalty and denied Barcelona a win last October.

And then he inexplicably failed to convert his spot kick against Chelsea—decisive in Barça not progressing to the UEFA Champions League final. 

Choking from the penalty spot has been a recurring theme for Ronaldo too.

He missed his spot kick in the 2008 Champions League semifinal against Barça.

Then his effort was saved in that year's final penalty shootout against Chelsea.

He also failed to convert from 12 yards out in the 2012 Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich. 

Please read why United shouldn't buy Kagawa. 

Statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, transfermarkt.co.uk and football-lineups.com.