Up until a few years ago I would have argued Messi was better than Ronaldo because Ronaldo is all about himself, he's done very little to make the players around him look good in the way Messi has. I would have said, who would you rather have playing in the team with you handing goals on a plate and scoring them by the hat full himself.
But you have got to hand it to Ronaldo, when you play that consistently, delivering the goods that regularly over such a prolonged period, bringing Portugal the Euros for good measure, as a player maybe you would choose Ronaldo, even if that makes you look like a passenger while Messi at the height of his powers would have made you look like the Worldie. Add to that Messi's inability to do anything with Argentina, when he had top talent, playing around him. It was as if he couldn't function without having the kind of players you only have at a club like Barcelona around him.
In terms of some of the stuff Messi can do, he can put Ronaldo in the shade, but in terms of sheer bringing home the bacon ability R7 wins hands down.
Ronaldo mark one during some of the seasons in Barca was truly exceptional but doesn't compare looking at his career as a whole.
Maradona pulled off some huge feats with an unfancied Argentina in 86 and turned the Italian football world on its head with Napoli, but over his career he falls short of Ronaldo, thanks mainly to some of the choices he, like George Best, made off the field.
R7 is probably less likable than some of the other candidates, which makes many, including myself, reluctant to admit just how great he has been over his career. But you've just got to take your hat off and say yes, you are furckin arrogant, you do come across like a bit of a twat, but you are an exceptional footballer, you have put in the work and you are probably the best I've ever seen, however much of a bitter pill that is to swallow.
