When Barcelona meet Real Madrid the biggest subplot is the battle of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was the world’s most expensive player when Real signed him for $131 million in the summer of 2009. Prior to that, he had been signed by Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon as an 18-year-old.
They are two of the highest paid soccer players in the world game.
Messi has a release clause of $400 million and his rise to the top could not contrast more starkly to that of Ronaldo.
The Argentinean left Newell’s Old Boys for Barcelona at the age of 13, with the club paying for treatment on a growth hormone deficiency that threatened to stunt his progress. In 2012, he became the club's record goalscorer at the age of just 24.
Each player has won the World Player of the Year award and has scored in a Champions League final.
Ronaldo says it is like comparing a "Ferrari with a Porsche", but who is the best?
MESSI VS RONALDO: STATS
A statistical comparison of club and country games, goals and assists since Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid in 2009.
Messi
2009-10
Games: 64
Goals: 49
Assists: 11
2010-11
Games: 61
Goals: 51
Assists: 22
2011-12
Games: 73
Goals: 77
Assists: 27
2012-13
Games: 65
Goals: 75
Assists: 18
2013-14
Games: 54
Goals: 44
Assists: 12
Ronaldo
2009-10
Games: 39
Goals: 33
Assists: 7
2010-11
Games: 65
Goals: 56
Assists: 16
2011-12
Games: 67
Goals: 71
Assists: 16
2012-13
Games: 73
Goals: 62
Assists: 14
2013-14
Games: 60
Goals: 65
Assists: 15
Who's the best!! Leo Messi OR Cristiano Ronaldo?
VOTE...