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Ronaldo (R9)

TaoistMonkey

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garryparkerschest

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Apr 24, 2012
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If Ronaldo did what Messi had done and had stayed at Barcelona, instead of chasing the money in Italy he would have been the man to set the records for Messi to chase.

Ronaldo was the best and most complete striker I have seen in my life time but I would agree with @Spurrific and say Messi is a more complete attacking player. His vision and passing range is superior.
 

TaoistMonkey

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If Ronaldo did what Messi had done and had stayed at Barcelona, instead of chasing the money in Italy he would have been the man to set the records for Messi to chase.

Ronaldo was the best and most complete striker I have seen in my life time but I would agree with @Spurrific and say Messi is a more complete attacking player. His vision and passing range is superior.

If you choose Messi to lead your attack over Ronaldo then you're bonkers.

Ronaldo in his prime was unstoppable. So much power, pace and skill.

I'm not saying Messi is a bad player but I think people forget how good Ronaldo actually was.
 

Spurrific

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Jun 2, 2011
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If you choose Messi to lead your attack over Ronaldo then you're bonkers.

Ronaldo in his prime was unstoppable. So much power, pace and skill.

I'm not saying Messi is a bad player but I think people forget how good Ronaldo actually was.

I'm not forgetting how good Ronaldo was, but Messi is the second best player I've ever seen kick a ball. Zidane being the first and R9 being the third. Saying "I'm not saying Messi is a bad player" is underplaying his ability, quite massively. Nobody has won more Ballon d'Ors than Messi and there's a good reason for that.
 

beats1

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Feb 22, 2010
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If Ronaldo did what Messi had done and had stayed at Barcelona, instead of chasing the money in Italy he would have been the man to set the records for Messi to chase.

Ronaldo was the best and most complete striker I have seen in my life time but I would agree with @Spurrific and say Messi is a more complete attacking player. His vision and passing range is superior.
Barca was a terribly run club and italy was the best league in the world
 

RichieS

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Dec 23, 2004
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If Ronaldo did what Messi had done and had stayed at Barcelona, instead of chasing the money in Italy he would have been the man to set the records for Messi to chase.

Ronaldo was the best and most complete striker I have seen in my life time but I would agree with @Spurrific and say Messi is a more complete attacking player. His vision and passing range is superior.
I don't think that's fair. Italian football was a big deal at the time and Inter were one of the top sides.
 

garryparkerschest

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I don't think that's fair. Italian football was a big deal at the time and Inter were one of the top sides.

They were but as a Barca fan, at the time I found it difficult to take.

Plus the style of football in la Liga suited Ronaldo more, I feel he wouldn't have had as many injuries if h had stayed in Spain.
 

TaoistMonkey

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I'm not forgetting how good Ronaldo was, but Messi is the second best player I've ever seen kick a ball. Zidane being the first and R9 being the third. Saying "I'm not saying Messi is a bad player" is underplaying his ability, quite massively. Nobody has won more Ballon d'Ors than Messi and there's a good reason for that.

Thing about Messi is that I personally don't think he's come out his comfort zone to test his ability. No one really knows how he would fair outside of La Liga.
 

garryparkerschest

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If you choose Messi to lead your attack over Ronaldo then you're bonkers.

Ronaldo in his prime was unstoppable. So much power, pace and skill.

I'm not saying Messi is a bad player but I think people forget how good Ronaldo actually was.

Yeah It would be but I'm not.

I would have Ronaldo as my number 9 and Messi has my number 10, just playing behind him.

Messi's superior skill set would have suited the role.
 

TaoistMonkey

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Trix

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I don't think that's fair. Italian football was a big deal at the time and Inter were one of the top sides.

You are right, Italian Football was a big a deal at the time, and it wasn't just made up of two super powers and a bunch of also rans (athletico aside).
By the time he went back to Spain injuries had really taken its toll and yet he still managed a goal every one and a half games. Not much in it but for me he's the second best player of my lifetime after Maradonna, messi in third.
 

Trix

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Thing about Messi is that I personally don't think he's come out his comfort zone to test his ability. No one really knows how he would fair outside of La Liga.

It's a good point. For example he has largely failed to produce his Barca form at international level.
 

garryparkerschest

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Apr 24, 2012
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Not sure I agree here. Ronaldo would easily ghost past defenders. Some of the best in the world. See the last video I posted.

edit...

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?threads/ronaldo-r9.94952/page-3#post-5451300

I'm a massive fan of Ronaldo and am fully aware of his ability.I followed his career from Brazil, PSV, Barcelona, Inter, Madrid to AC.

I saw him and his best and saw him come back from two career threatening injuries and what he did at the 2002 world cup.

The most heroic of performances of an individual player I think I've ever seen, banishing the nightmares of 98 and the forthcoming seasons.

The best player in the world despite his injuries show's you what a great talent he was. He could have easily played with Messi, who obviously wouldn't be his equal in the phyiscal aspects eg Strength, Pace (pre injuries) and argubaly his dribbling and individuality had more variance but I still believe that as an overall player Messi has been more decisive and with both at their best Messi is the superior player....just.

It would be very close and there are good arguments for both.

If Ronaldo didn't have the injuries he had, it could have been so much different and he may have evolved into a more rounded player.

You could argue before the injuries and if you judged the players age by age you could argue that Ronaldo was superior until the injuries kicked in.

Like I said, I could argue for both but from the careers that they've had and the overall abilities they have shown, I would still side with Messi has the more rounded attacking player.

Like I said before, Messi's passing sets him apart.
 
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garryparkerschest

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Apr 24, 2012
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You are right, Italian Football was a big a deal at the time, and it wasn't just made up of two super powers and a bunch of also rans (athletico aside).
By the time he went back to Spain injuries had really taken its toll and yet he still managed a goal every one and a half games. Not much in it but for me he's the second best player of my lifetime after Maradonna, messi in third.

Maradona?

I was a big fan of Maradona (except for the handball) but again you could argue pros and cons for all three.

My top three would be Messi, Maradona and then Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, I must stress is the best striker I've ever seen.
 

michaelden

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Aug 13, 2004
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Maradona was unreal. Best player I've seen.
R9 wasn't blindingly fast over distance but he was over 5-10 metres which he used to great effect.
Messi is good but the Balloon d'Or argument is a bit false as CRonaldo should've had more but for politics. Can't recall the years but remember Messi not being outstanding and CR having better figures etc but Messi winning the Balon
 

Spurger King

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Jul 22, 2008
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It's a good point. For example he has largely failed to produce his Barca form at international level.

Yet he's up there with Fake Ronnie as top scorer in the CL. He scores against the best teams in Europe on a consistent basis...and against Arsenal.
 

Sum Monsterism

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Jun 12, 2012
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OG Ronaldo is undoubtedly top three strikers I've ever seen. I encourage my little brothers to watch vids of him, as they never saw him play.

A legend, no doubt.
 

Trix

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Jul 29, 2004
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Little bit unfair; not many players have a World Cup Final on their CV

But I know what you mean

Ronaldo played in 2 finals and has 2 world cup winners medals, a golden ball and a golden boot. Point is Messi has played in very strong Argentina sides, and although there is always some internal politics, he has never produced his Barca form in world cup. If he had he would have been the difference to them winning the big one imo. I am not trying to put him down in anyway, but it's the difference for me between Ronaldo and Messi, and why I put Ronnie slightly above Messi in the list of best in my lifetime. Argentina without Maradonna for example would never have lifted the world cup in 86.
 
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