To say football fans are spoilt for choice is an understatement. It is hard to decipher which player is better – Barcelona’s Lionel Messi or Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. But, why don’t we just stop pitting the two against each other, and just sit back appreciate their talents.
Both players are on top of their game right now. It seems that every other weekend either Ronaldo or Messi are breaking another record, from most goals scored to most hat-tricks in a single season, both of them are duopolising the record books. When it comes to the Ballon d’Or, which celebrates footballing excellence, it is no surprise that it is a constant battle between these two.
As long as these two are lacing up their boots and hitting the football pitches, it is hard to think another player could challenge them for the Ballon d’Or. The closest was Manuel Neuer this year, off the back off an incredibly successful World Cup campaign that saw his national side lift the trophy. But deep down we all knew it was never going to be him.
Ronaldo and Messi have some of the most amazing stats and records to their names. Messi has scored the most goals in a calendar year – 91 for 2012, the most hat tricks in the Champions League and is the only player to finish as Champions League top scorer for four consecutive seasons.
Cristiano, on the other hand, is the first player to score in every minute of a game, the first and only player to appear in FIFPro World XI for two different clubs and is the fastest player to reach 200 goals in Europe’s top five leagues.
Every aspect of football is competitive, but this competition should come to an end. Both players are continuing to excel themselves and it is a pleasure to watch. So, let’s enjoy the exceptional level of football and the records being broken. This is too close to call to name just one as the ‘best in the world.’