8 Ways Cristiano Ronaldo Must Improve to Be Considered Better Than Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi—who's better? It's a debate that rages in every corner of ever pub amongst avid football fans.
Despite fervent support for CR7, it appears the majority favour Messi when forced to give their two cents.
Therefore, what, if anything, can Ronaldo improve on to become considered better than his arch-rival?
WhoScored? will be used throughout this article for statistical analysis—all stats are based on league only.
Dribbling Success Rate
1 of 8You can't be serious?—Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best, if not the best, dribblers in the world.
Actually, that might not be the case. Sure, he's an imperious presence, and his feet are incredibly quick, but how often does he beat his man?
Last season, Ronaldo recorded a disappointing tally of 73 successful dribbles, averaging just 1.9 per game. Considering he's one of the best wide forwards or wingers in the game, he should be averaging better.
Lionel Messi more than doubled that haul, averaging 4.8 per game and an overall tally of 176.
On-Field Image
2 of 8There are many who condemn Cristiano Ronaldo's behaviour on the field.
His on-field antics sometimes border on the absurd. The Portuguese winger has never bothered to clean up his act and continues to dive, wince and feign injury whenever an advantage looks possible.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, rarely dives. He takes a battering each game and never kicks out in aggression.
Off-Field Image
3 of 8Despite Cristiano Ronaldo's many charitable actions, he is more likely to be remembered for his alleged romp with no less than five prostitutes than anything else (via The Sun.)
He's constantly pictured enjoying himself on the beach wearing the skimpiest of shorts, the most expensive of sunglasses and the widest of grins.
Conversely, Messi's off-the-field record presents almost no blemishes. In fact, he's a down-to-earth guy who wears normal shorts, normal sandals and plays EA Sports' FIFA franchise games a fair bit.
Guess which self-perpetuating image the public align with more often?
Passing on the Run
4 of 8One of Lionel Messi's more unsung qualities is his ability to pass and supply teammates whilst running at full pelt.
This talent allows him to play the false-nine role in Barcelona's team to great effect, but it's a talent Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't managed to refine to such levels of execution.
Ronaldo does have a tendency to undersell teammates with passes on the run or overdo things when on the stretch.
Become More Selfless
5 of 8There's nothing wrong with Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring record for Real Madrid. Averaging more than one goal per game is insane and deserves commendations.
He'd get more praise than even he'd know what to do with if he played his football in South America—a continent where self-expressive football is applauded—but he doesn't.
He plays in La Liga, a pass-hungry, possession-based league, where selfish play isn't tolerated quite as readily as everywhere else.
The stunt he pulled at Euro 2012, where he delayed his penalty kick to become the fifth taker in the semifinal against Spain, is an act which the world looked down upon. All about the personal glory—same old Cristiano.
Don't Get Frozen Out
6 of 8When you play on the wing or in a forward role, you often rely on your midfield to bring you into the game.
This is something that effects Cristiano Ronaldo and gets him incredibly frustrated. Euro 2012 was a prime example of this, as Portugal simply couldn't bring him into the first two games.
In the first half of the quarterfinal against Czech Republic, Theodor Gebre Selassie marked him off the pitch forcing him to take a central role in the second half.
Although Lionel Messi plays up top now rather than on the wing, it's hard to think of a time where Messi hasn't been able to get his teeth into a game.
The very best don't get isolated.
Develop a Better Attitude
7 of 8Lionel Messi's head barely drops. He's innocent and works hard on the field whether his team are six-nil up or six-nil down.
Cristiano Ronaldo has matured greatly as a player since joining Real Madrid and becomes visibly less frustrated when his team are under the kosh against Barcelona.
Unfortunately, there's a fair distance for him to go yet to draw on par with Messi, and until that happens, the Argentinian's temperament will always be considered better.
Don't Lash Out
8 of 8Lashing out is linked to having a bad attitude, but kicking out can be isolated as a '"trait" amongst players.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been known to kick out when he's upset about a challenge, and while he may think he is the jury on whether it's a foul, the referee often has other ideas.
You'll rarely see Messi react after being kicked to pieces by subpar defenders, yet one challenge to send Ronaldo tumbling will see him erupt.
It's easy to see who the fans side with on this occasion, as admiration spreads for Messi while contempt is aimed at CR7.
A vivid memory of Aston Villa fans jeering and swearing at Ronaldo as he's subbed off showed me what fans think of him, and his response in the form of shouting "I'm number one!" only led to more abuse.
