Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: Tale of the Tapes

Stanley Matthews and Alfredo Di Stefano went head-to-head. Pele and Diego Maradona have long contested the accolade for the "greatest player ever." Now we have two awesome players of the modern day game; Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. But who's the complete package?

Ronaldo and Messi have appeared to match each other stride for stride this season. Their goal scoring statistics, for instance, are stunning. But it is not just about goals. To limit footballing attributes to the purely physical is absurd. What about controlling the game? What about providing assists? What about vision? What about precision? What about efficiency? What about tactical awareness and decision-making? What about being involved in all areas of the game?

Precession and Finishing

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 05: Lionel Messi (L) of Barcelona duels for the ball with Ivan Obradovic of Real Zaragoza during the la Liga match between Barcelona and Real Zaragoza at the Camp Nou stadium on March 5, 2011 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jaspe

Fans and pundits compare him most frequently with Diego Maradona because of his prodigious dribbling skills, diminutive stature, low center of gravity and shared Argentine heritage. Maradona himself has called Messi his "successor" on a number of occasions. 

Effortlessly, Messi glides past one defender and then another, weaving his way through defenses by means of absurdly quick changes of direction that leave defenders in the box stunned by the speed of his change of pace. Feigning a movement in one direction and then heading in another in a flash, he leaves defenders awestruck as he dashes by them on his way toward goal.

The ball stays glued to his boots until he unloads it onto his left foot and dispatches a shot with clinical precision that rarely misses the target. Simply put, Lionel Messi is the best finisher in the game today, playing at a league above the likes of Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, to be fair, is a great dribbler who has a few tricks up his sleeves, but the prowess that Messi shows every game is unbelievable, and unmatchable even for Ronaldo. 

Who's a Better Team Player?

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MALLORCA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: Lionel Messi of Barcelona (2ndL) celebrates with his teammates after scoring his first team's goal during the La Liga match between Mallorca and Barcelona at Iberstar Stadium on February 26, 2011 in Mallorca, Spain. (Photo

Barca fans are used to brilliance, but none have seen what they are watching now on such a consistent basis. There is a predictability to this side's power: fans arrive early expecting to see every visiting team slain by a flurry of goals—to be slain by the great Lionel Messi. 

But that fact is also nurtured by the fact that Messi has two brilliant players in Xavi and Iniesta. Although sometimes guilty of shooting when a certain pass is a reliable option, nevertheless, more often than not, Messi is more likely to close in on defenders and attract the opposition towards him, then find one of his teammates in a goal scoring position. 

Ronaldo on the other hand, is more of an individual player. He likes to run in trying to torment the defenders, making them make a challenge and win free kicks for the team. 

The fact that Barcelona plays with the same starting line up week in and week out helps players gel together well, understand each other better and hence play as a more complete unit, which is something Real Madrid lacks at the moment.  

Speed and Strength

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MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 03: Cristiano Ronaldo (L) of Real Madrid tries to keep his balance after being fouled by Manu Torres of Malaga during the la Liga match between Real Madrid and Malaga at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 3, 2011 in Madrid, Spain.

Power is Ronaldo's game; balance is all for Leo.

Ronaldo has a more balanced physique as compared to Leo. He is much stronger but does he have the control? 

I think Ronaldo is quicker than Messi, and is very good at running at defenders. He is certainly better at corners, and his skills with his head have certainly improved with time spent in the Premier League. 

Though Ronaldo is stronger he chooses to be theatrical and take dives. Defenders know that a slight touch would see him rolling on the floor. But then again, he is better at free kicks and can swirl the ball or give it a thunderous kick.  Messi on the other hand tends to fight it out till the end, which could be the reason why defenders are more comfortable cornering him. 

Who's a Better Big Game Player?

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 12: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona (C) holds the Ballon d'Or trophy flanked by his teammates Andres Iniesta (L) and Xavi Hermandez prior the Copa del Rey quarter final first leg match FC Barcelona and Betis at Camp Nou on January

Lionel Messi answers Barcelona's calls with a moment of brilliant, sheer magic.  

Messi has shown from time to time that he is the player Barcelona really relies upon in the big games. His most recent example of this was his brilliant goal against Arsenal, which gave Barcelona the opening they needed. 

Messi has been inspirational and doesn't let the situation and expectations take over his emotions when he's on the field, something I seriously think Christiano lacks. 

Messi has also played a vital role in the Clasico's, something Christiano Ronaldo is still trying to come terms with.

Ronaldo is currently the joint top scorer in La Liga with Lionel Messi, yet there are doubts on his big match ability as his detractors continuously point out that the winger is a consistent choker when it came to crunch matches.

What also has to be assessed is what role Ronaldo plays in the big games. Against tougher opponents, it stands to reason Ronaldo will be marked by better players. Whilst he can run rings around most full backs in the league, there are always going to be some players he has more of a battle against.

Who's the Better Finisher?

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BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 13: Roar fans show their support during the A-League Grand Final match between the Brisbane Roar and the Central Coast Mariners at Suncorp Stadium on March 13, 2011 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Imag

They both like to run at players, then run past players and then finally blast a shot into the back of the net. Their methods of doing this are different though. Ronaldo, as is well known, is a show pony who won’t stop doing tricks to wind up players, but rather, skills his way through on his way to scoring. Messi is more direct, running straight towards players and simply skipping past them using his pace. Then there’s the difference in finishing: Ronaldo loves to blast his shots in, whilst Messi’s are better placed and seem to roll along the ground more.

I think I'll leave that one for now....