The race for this year’s coveted ballon d’or award will be between two of football’s stellar stars. Messi and Ronaldo will again share a podium when the fabulous gala award ceremony takes place later on this year. The question on everyones mind however is which of these two players will be named Europe’s finest.
This is a debate that just never seems to end. On one hand you have Cristiano Ronaldo who is at the peak of his career and on the other you have Lionel Messi who is an amazing player. This time though, i have a gut feeling Messi will emerge victorious. Cristiano is a good player but Lio is better.
Look at Barcelona for example. They are one of the giants of football and have been home to some of the biggest names in the sport. Maradona, Cruyff, Kluivert, Ronaldo, Figo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Eto’o are just a few of the names. This is in stark contrast to Manchester United Cristiano’s former club.
There is no doubt that Man United are a very competitive and physically strong side but what is still lacking are the big names. If Man United want to compete with the likes of Milan, Madrid and even Barca then they need to acquire the big names.
Messi plays in a team that consists of stars and yet he is still able to to ‘shine’. His consistency through out the seasons is impressive. Last season, he scored more than 30 goals for Barca in a squad that had perennial striker Eto’o and danger man Henry amongst others.
Cristiano’s Man United on the other hand have built a strong squad from relatively little known players and thus it is easier for a skilled player such as himself to excel.
I can already hear your groans but just hear me out.When Ronaldinho was at the top of his game and Eto’o was bagging goals like a madman it would have been pretty hard for Messi to excel as a player. Yet he did just that. Together they formed a killer striking combination.
Earlier this year, Ronaldo pipped Messi to the FIFA world player of the year award. This time the whole footballing world knows who will carry the day in Europe and worldwide. Just to make myself clear, I want to say that Ronaldo is a good player and if his current form is anything to go by then he can be sure of following in the footsteps of the greats. However, 2009 is Messi’s year.
