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#2 Won an international trophy
Messi has had a much stronger national team at his disposal compared to Ronaldo, and also had an arguably weaker continental competition to play in.
Nevertheless, Lionel Messi has thus far been unable to inspire his Argentinian side to its first international trophy at a major football competition in many years.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, despite having to carry most of the burden, relative to other national sides, managed to lead his Portuguese national team to their first international trophy ever. By winning the 2016 European Championships over France in their home stadium in Paris, Cristiano Ronaldo managed to achieve something that Lionel Messi has so far been unable to do.
With Ronaldo and Messi being constantly thrown into the 'Greatest Ever' debate, many critics have naturally been pointing to their empty international trophy cabinets. But with Ronaldo winning the European Championship trophy for Portugal, he is a notch above Messi in this respect.
