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Ronaldinho or Messi in their primes?

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This is a thread that doesn't need to be made. If Messi wins a world cup, let me know. I'd take Ronaldinho right now over Messi, yet alone now. He was, and still is, magical. And he always plays with a smile on his face.
Original post by The Assassin
How is Zidane better than Messi?


Different positions...

...but I'm of the opinion that you could drop Zidane into any team from Real Madrid to VVV Venlo and he'd still perform at a world class level. Dominated at the World Cup twice, performed at a very consistent level and in all the big games. No real weaknesses to his game, dribbling, passing, shooting, physical etc all 9/10. Like having an extra midfielder because he could do the lot.

For me Messi is an unbelievable weapon for Barca and has all the records to prove it, but he's also a bit samey. Even if what he does he does at a ridiculously high level I admire players who mix it up and do different things rather than just dribbling and looking for the 1-2 with Iniesta and co all day every day. His highlights reel when he retires will blend into one long sequences of dribbles and smart finishes tbh.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 22
Original post by jammy4041
This is a thread that doesn't need to be made. If Messi wins a world cup, let me know. I'd take Ronaldinho right now over Messi, yet alone now. He was, and still is, magical. And he always plays with a smile on his face.


True love.

I agree though
Reply 23
Ronaldinho doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Messi.

It peeves me off.
Original post by jammy4041
This is a thread that doesn't need to be made. If Messi wins a world cup, let me know. I'd take Ronaldinho right now over Messi, yet alone now. He was, and still is, magical. And he always plays with a smile on his face.


Messi could have chosen to play for Spain, and would therefore have won a world cup. Would that somehow make him a better player?
Original post by Wilfred Little
Football hipsters out in force. Messi is the greatest of all time. End of.


This. Messi's level of goalscoring is insane. All time Barca goalscorer, 5 away from all time Champions League top scorer and countless other records and hes only 26
Reply 26
Ronaldinho doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Messi.

It peeves me off.


Because Ronaldinho is better or because Messi is better? :confused:
Reply 27
Original post by manchesterunited15
This. Messi's level of goalscoring is insane. All time Barca goalscorer, 5 away from all time Champions League top scorer and countless other records and hes only 26


5 away? Yeaaaaaaaaaah He'll get there.. probs in this campaign lol

I still prefer Ronaldinho though, so much more exciting. That's not saying Messi isn't.. Ronaldinho just had that something extra
Original post by manchesterunited15
Messi could have chosen to play for Spain, and would therefore have won a world cup. Would that somehow make him a better player?


I've heard about that. But Spain, like Argentina, would have struggled to fit him into the side, and had to work around it. There would be no guarentee of Messi winning a world cup, playing for Spain - ie. does Villa not make the team, or scores against Chile? To be in the conversation of being the best, apparently trophies and silverware count. In NFL, it's why somehow Dan Marino isn't considered the best ever despite having the stats to merit being in that conversation. Ronaldinho on the other hand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUX7MBk5UM
Reply 29
Messi.

Tbh, I hate these comparison threads. Messi, in his generation, is the greatest ever, likewise with Ronaldinho, he was different class.

It's unfair to compare. I'd rather celebrate the fact that we saw (and still seeing) both players in their absolute primes.

Posted from TSR Mobile
I don't think I've ever seen a footballer entertain me as much as Ronaldinho, the things he did with a football blows your mind away. Since, we're talking about other footballers as well, my personal top 4 (football players ive seen at their prime) is:

1) Zidane
2) Ronaldinho
3) Messi
4) Cristiano Ronaldo
Reply 31
Original post by jammy4041
I've heard about that. But Spain, like Argentina, would have struggled to fit him into the side, and had to work around it. There would be no guarentee of Messi winning a world cup, playing for Spain - ie. does Villa not make the team, or scores against Chile? To be in the conversation of being the best, apparently trophies and silverware count. In NFL, it's why somehow Dan Marino isn't considered the best ever despite having the stats to merit being in that conversation. Ronaldinho on the other hand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUX7MBk5UM


GOLAAAACO x 100 =_=
Reply 32
Tbh Ronaldinho was one of my favourite players growing up, I still remember that godly free kick against portsmouth:coma:
Messi > CR7 > Zidane
Original post by jammy4041
I've heard about that. But Spain, like Argentina, would have struggled to fit him into the side, and had to work around it. There would be no guarentee of Messi winning a world cup, playing for Spain - ie. does Villa not make the team, or scores against Chile? To be in the conversation of being the best, apparently trophies and silverware count. In NFL, it's why somehow Dan Marino isn't considered the best ever despite having the stats to merit being in that conversation. Ronaldinho on the other hand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUX7MBk5UM


Meh they could have just played him over Pedro.

Yeah Ronaldinho produced some moments of brilliance but Messi produces more. It's not like Ronaldinho singlehandedly won the world cup, he was playing in an amazing team.

And I don't have a clue about NFL so bad example :tongue:
Reply 35
Pele>Ronaldinho=Zidane>Messi>Ronaldo

Pele = 3 world cups
Ronaldinho = 1 world cup
Zidane = 1 world cup + epic headbutt
all in a tougher era without all this diving nonsense nowadays

Messi+Ronaldo = 0 world cups even with the bias of the referees towards attacking players these days i.e calling a foul if anyone gets touched
Reply 36
Pele>Ronaldinho=Zidane>Messi>Ronaldo

Pele = 3 world cups
Ronaldinho = 1 world cup
Zidane = 1 world cup + epic headbutt
all in a tougher era without all this diving nonsense nowadays

Messi+Ronaldo = 0 world cups even with the bias of the referees towards attacking players these days i.e calling a foul if anyone gets touched


What about Maradona?
Reply 37
Original post by Jordooooom
What about Maradona?


Ah yes- that proves a point about the World Cup arguments

It's being said that Ronaldinho won the World Cup with a better team than Argentinas.. But maradona won it too
Reply 38
Original post by Zürich
Different positions...

...but I'm of the opinion that you could drop Zidane into any team from Real Madrid to VVV Venlo and he'd still perform at a world class level. Dominated at the World Cup twice, performed at a very consistent level and in all the big games. No real weaknesses to his game, dribbling, passing, shooting, physical etc all 9/10. Like having an extra midfielder because he could do the lot.

For me Messi is an unbelievable weapon for Barca and has all the records to prove it, but he's also a bit samey. Even if what he does he does at a ridiculously high level I admire players who mix it up and do different things rather than just dribbling and looking for the 1-2 with Iniesta and co all day every day. His highlights reel when he retires will blend into one long sequences of dribbles and smart finishes tbh.


This is true. It's not even a theory because you know what, he has done this.

After his first retirement from international football after Euro 2004 (we can actually point to the 2002 WC to see how average they are without him), France were struggling in their qualifying group that included the mighty Switzerland, ROI, Cyprus, Faroes Island and Israel, teams that even England make light work of. They were drawing with Israel and barely beating the Faroes.

Before Zidane (and Thuram and Makele) all reluctantly returned- they were "disappointed" in Domenech for asking them to return France 4th with a record was P6 W2 (against cyprus and Faroes) D4. They went on to top the group afterwards and casually went to be a few kicks from lifting a cup that if he hadn't returned, they wouldn't have qualified for.

And since then, France have done nothing.

It's quite shameful that people now have turned the appreciation of Zidane into some some of pretentious hipster nonsense. Brilliant player.
Reply 39
Original post by manchesterunited15
Meh they could have just played him over Pedro.

Yeah Ronaldinho produced some moments of brilliance but Messi produces more. It's not like Ronaldinho singlehandedly won the world cup, he was playing in an amazing team.

And I don't have a clue about NFL so bad example :tongue:


What about Maradona? He didn't have much of an amazing team when he won the World Cup