Messi vs Ronaldo

Greetings, I am 15-year-old Garrett Zhou, a Durham Academy High School student. I enjoy studying, exercising, playing soccer, and maintaining discipline in general. My history with soccer is fairly straightforward: I began playing when I was 7 years old, and at the age of 12, I was chosen for the ECNL regional Carolinas team as the top player in the state. I was selected to travel with 20 players from my club, NCFC, to play against NY Red Bulls Academy, PDA Academy, and NYFC Academy that summer. I'm currently with the second-ranked NCFC 09 ECNL club.

The eternal debate. The cause of the greatest division in football. Who is better, Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Avieros or Lionel Andreas Messi? The answer to this question is often the GOAT of football. Many take pleasure in the criticism of both, while others plead for the good of both. 

For me, it has always been clear. Lionel Messi is a great footballer, but Ronaldo is the best of all time for me. Cristiano is my favorite player and the greatest player of all time. He has always been special to me, not just by statistics or trophies or records. He came from nothing and worked his way to the top with no one helping him. 5 Ballon d'Ors, 5 Champions Leagues, 4 Golden Boots, 2 international trophies, and 906 goals later, people still take pleasure in the criticism. However, he remains as focused, as driven, and as golden as before, with or without the haters. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Messi; he is the second-best player of all time. He works extremely hard for his success and I would never hate on him. However, Ronaldo is just extra special for me. Here's why:

Playstyle: Lots of people say that Messi is easier on the eye. I agree. Messi is better on the eye, but football is all about impact. I don't care if you are as calm as Busquets on the ball, if you don't do anything, you're getting cut. Ronaldo is clutch; it has been proven over and over again. Hattrick against Athletico(multiple times), a hatty against Spain in the World Cup, and Hattrick in the Champions League against Wolfsburg just to name a few. He is so clutch, and that is something that cannot be trained. 

Also, Cristiano is so good everywhere; Messi can score maybe 5 different ways, while Ronaldo can score 15 different ways. Header, cross, free-kick, penalty, long shot, finesse, 1v1 with the keeper, the list keeps going. That is why I give Ronaldo shooting over Messi.

People don't like Cristiano Ronaldo because of his ego. However, ego is what keeps you going. He doesn't need players to push him, he pushes himself. He has practiced each individual skill so many times that he can tell almost anyone in the world to step aside from that free-kick, to pass the ball instead of shooting it, to play him the ball. He is so confident in himself, and for that, he is eternal.

As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day!