Messi vs Ronaldo

By: Takuma Onda

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the greatest football players of all time. They have been at the top of their game for over a decade and have won a lot of titles and awards. However, the debate about who is the better player has been ongoing for years. While both players have their own unique strengths and achievements, I believe that Ronaldo is better than Messi. 

Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times in competitive matches for club and country. The first time they faced was on April 23, 2008, when Messi, then 20 years old, faced 23-year-old Ronaldo while playing for Barcelona and Manchester United, respectively. The match ended in a goalless draw, and United advanced to the Champions League final with a 1-0 win in the second leg. Both players shared one Champions League title, 18 Champions League goals, and zero Ballon d'Or at the time.

Here are some of the times they faced each other

1. 2009 Champions League final (Manchester United 0-2 Barcelona)

The Rome final was seen as a clash between the two best players in the world at the time, and Messi came out on top. Barca successfully kept United at arm's length to win 2-0, with Messi scoring a rare header for his team's second goal.

2. Cristiano calls for 'calm' (Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid, April 21, 2012)

Ronaldo again prevailed when they met at Camp Nou toward the end of the 2011-12 league campaign. Ronaldo's goal -- which he marked in unusually understated fashion by gesturing for "calm" as his teammates celebrated --  Real also broke the Spanish league scoring record with goal No. 109 of the season.

3. Copa woe at Camp Nou (Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid, February 26, 2013)

Ronaldo again beat Messi on Catalonia when he turned in a star performance to send Barcelona packing. The Portugal forward scored twice -- with a penalty that he won himself after being fouled by Pique, and then with a header -- and almost single-handedly wrapped up a 3-1 win at Camp Nou in the return match to seal Real's place in the final.

In conclusion, while both Messi and Ronaldo are exceptional players, it is clear that Ronaldo is an overall better player and is more handsome than Messi. But it is still difficult to determine who's better as they are both great players.