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World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 8 (21 June)

May 17, 2018
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Ronaldo doing Ronaldo things so far this WC and carrying his team proves exactly who the best is, in my opinion.

Don't @ me

On many levels.

Ronaldo has done it in different leagues, at different levels (club and country). Has he ever fluffed up a high pressure situation?



On the other side, we have Messi - who tends to not live up to his "ermageerd" reputation when he's not in a Barca shirt.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Come on don't start this Messi bottling narrative, far more to it than that, Argentina are a mess which isn't Messi's fault.
 

Dazzazzad

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2006
1,232
4,367
On many levels.

Ronaldo has done it in different leagues, at different levels (club and country). Has he ever fluffed up a high pressure situation?



On the other side, we have Messi - who tends to not live up to his "ermageerd" reputation when he's not in a Barca shirt.

Man of the tournament last WC but okay.
 

stonecolddeanaustin

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2011
1,623
2,598
Dybala, Higuain, Aguero all look shit in this Argentina team. Really don't think you can put this one on Messi. Portugal have a game plan which revolves around defending well and using Ronaldo to the best of his abilities. This Argentina team is just a mess.
 

tiger666

Large Member
Jan 4, 2005
27,978
82,214
This Messi V Ronaldo argument is fucking tiring. It's like listening to my two little cousins arguing over a playstation game.
 

werty

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2005
25,074
26,310
Come on don't start this Messi bottling narrative, far more to it than that, Argentina are a mess which isn't Messi's fault.
Not one person said he bottled it, so I don't know where you're getting this narrative from.
 

haxman

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2007
16,911
8,146
I didn’t used to think so but now I don’t think there’s much argument. Ronaldo leads his team, Messi doesn’t. Tonight he just walked around sulking.
He'll retire again now. No point continuing with that shower of shite around him.
 

Sevens

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2014
4,583
6,947
Portugal have less talent than this Argentina team as well. Ronaldo could rock up with a pub team in tow and still do damage.

I think that's debatable.

Not being one to really care if I fly in the face of public opinion, I hold the very unpopular opinion that the quality of footballers (sportsmen in general) has declined considerably over the last few years. I have some theories as to why but that is for another thread. But ultimately one of the key reasons why Messi, Ronaldo and hopefully Kane for some years to come!, have such amazing record breaking stats is because of this as much as their own brilliance.

To an extent it has always happened but we live in an era of hyperbole. I blame TV saturation but now average players are regarded as good, good players as world class etc. I look at Argentina and I see Dybala and Higuaín (another with great stats) and I simply do not see what the fuss is about. Decent players? Sure. Great players? Not even close. Going off on a tangent I think the same about Pogba. Never saw why he was being hyped to high heavens before Utd bought him back and I have seen nothing since they bought him back to suggest he is anywhere near world class.

As for Ronaldo vs Messi, it has been done to death. My personal view is that a peak Messi was a level above a peak Ronaldo as a footballer. But Ronaldo is a supreme athlete and as such it makes sense to me that he will be able to sustain a high level of quality longer than Messi. But a couple of games sample isn't really proof of anything. Ronaldo had a shocking game in the Champion's League final and people said he was finished. Now he is being spoken about as the GOAT after two World Cup games where he has scored more goals than all his previous World Cup games combined. Now people are saying Messi is a spent force, despite spearheading a comparatively weak Barcelona team to La Liga. As I said, hyperbole......
 
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