It’s very rare, but for once I was wrong with a footballing judgement.
In the summer of 2016, after Ronaldo won the Euros and Messi lost a 2nd-straight Copa America Final to Alexis Sanchez, I started to lean towards Ronaldo in his war with Messi.
Then after CR7 slaughtered the field in the 2017 UCL, scoring 10 goals across the last 5 KO games to clinch Real their first League & EC double since 1958, I started to really believe he was better than Messi.
This was then confirmed in my mind when Ronaldo 3-peated in the UCL in 2018, a truly unbelievable achievement which will likely never be done again.
Meanwhile, Messi was losing a 3-goal lead against Roma and then got beaten 8(eight)-2 by Bayern in the bubble. The 8-2 loss was seemingly a killer blow.
How things have changed….
Going into 2021, Messi was 0-4 in international Finals. Less than 2 years later, he’s now gone 3-0 since then and completed a clean sweep of honours, winning the Copa America, Finalissima and the Granddaddy of ‘em all.
Messi’s 2022 World Cup run is one of the most dominant in history, certainly the best individual run since Maradona in ‘86 and up there with any other.
7 goals & 3 assists in 7 games, including a double in the Final and bagging the Golden Ball and Final MOTM. He was MOTM in all 4 KO games and in 5 out of 7 total games. His assists in the QFs and SFs were two of the best plays of the tournament.
Ronaldo has never had a good World Cup and never in 5 World Cups even managed to score a goal or register an assist in the KO rounds.
Clearly I was wrong previously. Messi is now World Champion and has proven beyond any doubt that he is better than Ronaldo.
I’ve also reshuffled my football Mount Rushmore:
#1 - Messi
#2 - Pele
#3 - Ronaldo
#4 - Maradona
I believe Messi is now the GOAT over Pele. He’s had more longevity and will now win his 8th Ballon d’Or, breaking his unofficial tie with Pele (currently both on 7).
He’s now won 2 World Cup Golden Balls, the only player in history to be named Best Player at 2 World Cups, to add to his 2 Copa America Best Player gongs and Olympic Gold Medal.
Messi the new GOAT
Ronaldo in the mud
Messi Mea Culpa & New Mt Rushmore
posted on 21/12/22
comment by it'sonlyagame (U6426)
posted 2 hours, 26 minutes ago
BTW, Ronaldo beasted the ko rounds for a few years, but he was always pretty meh in Madrid's CL finals, 2017 being the only one at Madrid where he played remotely close to his level. Pound for pound, Ramos is the more Rushmore player.
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When Napoli pkayed Real a phew! yrs ago we kept Ronsldo v quiet both games.
Ramos bullied us tho n was the difference beetween Resl winnin easy n us givin em a tuff thyme
posted on 21/12/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 hours, 58 minutes ago
Just shows how idiotic it is to put so much judgment on International tournaments.
In 2016 Portugal won a single game in normal time and finished 3rd and winless in a group with Austria, Iceland and Hungary and Ronaldo scored in 2 games.
Ronaldo is a great and I can see the argument for but it’s bizarre that some put him over Messi on the back of an average tournament.
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I don't understand this comment.
You say it's idiotic to judge players on international tournaments and then do exactly that with Ronaldo and Portugal?
Or did I read that wrong?
posted on 21/12/22
Can't believe how many people have fallen for this WUM tbh
posted on 21/12/22
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 hours, 58 minutes ago
Just shows how idiotic it is to put so much judgment on International tournaments.
In 2016 Portugal won a single game in normal time and finished 3rd and winless in a group with Austria, Iceland and Hungary and Ronaldo scored in 2 games.
Ronaldo is a great and I can see the argument for but it’s bizarre that some put him over Messi on the back of an average tournament.
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I don't understand this comment.
You say it's idiotic to judge players on international tournaments and then do exactly that with Ronaldo and Portugal?
Or did I read that wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes because the OP decided to put him ahead of Messi because of an average tournament by his standards. Not a tough one to understand.
posted on 21/12/22
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 hours, 58 minutes ago
Just shows how idiotic it is to put so much judgment on International tournaments.
In 2016 Portugal won a single game in normal time and finished 3rd and winless in a group with Austria, Iceland and Hungary and Ronaldo scored in 2 games.
Ronaldo is a great and I can see the argument for but it’s bizarre that some put him over Messi on the back of an average tournament.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't understand this comment.
You say it's idiotic to judge players on international tournaments and then do exactly that with Ronaldo and Portugal?
Or did I read that wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes because the OP decided to put him ahead of Messi because of an average tournament by his standards. Not a tough one to understand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
When you say 'him' and 'his', are you talking about Ronaldo both times?
posted on 21/12/22
Pele won 3 World Cups, he is the GOAT.
Messi is the GOAT of his generation
posted on 21/12/22
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 55 seconds ago
Pele won 3 World Cups, he is the GOAT.
Messi is the GOAT of his generation
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That’s a misconception.
He technically has 3 medals but in ‘62 he only played the first game and missed the rest of the tournament.
So he only really won 2 World Cups.
posted on 21/12/22
comment by KSE Out (U21076)
posted 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
Can't believe how many people have fallen for this WUM tbh
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WUM?
It’s a mea culpa - I put my hands up and admitted that I got it badly wrong.
posted on 21/12/22
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 4 hours, 46 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Ali - (U1192)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 12 hours, 58 minutes ago
Just shows how idiotic it is to put so much judgment on International tournaments.
In 2016 Portugal won a single game in normal time and finished 3rd and winless in a group with Austria, Iceland and Hungary and Ronaldo scored in 2 games.
Ronaldo is a great and I can see the argument for but it’s bizarre that some put him over Messi on the back of an average tournament.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't understand this comment.
You say it's idiotic to judge players on international tournaments and then do exactly that with Ronaldo and Portugal?
Or did I read that wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes because the OP decided to put him ahead of Messi because of an average tournament by his standards. Not a tough one to understand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
When you say 'him' and 'his', are you talking about Ronaldo both times?
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Yes.
posted on 21/12/22
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 5 hours, 48 minutes ago
Pele won 3 World Cups, he is the GOAT.
Messi is the GOAT of his generation
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Greatest Of His Own Generation = GO-HOG