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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the football landscape for two decades like none else. The eternal rivals, who broke onto the scene in the mid-2000s, have 11 Ballon d'Or awards, ten European Golden Shoes and nine Champions League trophies between them.
Both superstars have incredible goalscoring records. They are big-game players and have been the difference-makers for both club and country for several years now. More importantly, they've tasted success at both club and international level, making them two of the greatest players in football history.
Despite enjoying a similar level of success in the game, Messi and Ronaldo do not share too many other similarities. There are many things that differentiate the iconic duo from each other. On that note, here's a look at five of the most notable ones:
#5 Approach to the game
One huge thing that differentiates Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from each other is their approach to the game. Over the years, we've witnessed the two employ different techniques to impact games.
Ronaldo is a direct, quick and sharp attacker who can hurt opposition defences in the blink of an eye, thanks to his blistering pace and physicality. The former Juventus winger thrives the most when deployed on the left flank, from where he makes dazzling runs to the box and finish off chances.
Messi, meanwhile, has a more technical style. The former Barcelona captain relies on his ability to build-up plays, dribble through opposition players and split defences open with his amazing vision and impeccable passing skills. He also cuts into the box, but from the right flank, and shoots with precision to wreak havoc.
#4 Finishing ability/ attacking style
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are obviously two of the greatest finishers the game has ever seen. On an honest note, numbers may not be enough to differentiate the two superstars.
The Portuguese has a few more career goals than Messi. But the latter has a better goal-to-game ratio, and they've both scored over 700 goals in their careers. One thing that is evident, though, is that Ronaldo is more of a finisher while Messi thrives in both finishing and creating.
Ronaldo operates as a predator in the box, pouncing on opportunities, while Messi occasionally drops deep to create chances for his team. The fact that Ronaldo has more career goals and Messi more career assists between the two probably explains that best.
#3 Weak-foot ability
This is one of the most notable differences between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. One relies on his unstoppable left foot to tear opposition defences apart, while the other is proficient off both feet.
Lionel Messi has arguably the best left foot in world football, but his right foot is way behind in terms of effectiveness. According to stats, the PSG forward scores eight out of ten goals with his left foot, while he scores just one of every eight goals with his right.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, thrives with his stronger right foot almost as well as he does with his weaker left foot. Statistically, the Portuguese has scored 790 goals in his career, with 145 coming off his left foot.
#2 Aerial ability
Cristiano Ronaldo totally dominates this aspect. Of course there isn't much Lionel Messi can do in this category, as the Argentine stands at just 1.69 meters, compared to his counterpart who stands at 1.87 meters.
Moreover, the Portuguese has an incredible jumping prowess that makes him a serious threat to opposition defenders whenever the ball is in the air. The former Real Madrid maestro has scored some of the most beautiful headed goals ever seen in the sport.
Statistically, Lionel Messi has scored 26 headed goals in his career, while Cristiano Ronaldo has done so 137 times. That explains the difference in the duo's aerial prowess.
#1 Teamwork
When it comes to analysing how Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo operate for their respective teams, it is clear they're different from each other. The Argentine's teamwork is so obvious that there's no need for any critical thinking to realise he's more of a team player.
Messi is someone who connects the dots to help the team thrive. He drops deep to organise his team's play before moving forward to exchange passes with attackers and take down opposition teams.
Cristiano Ronaldo, though, is more of an individual player capable of staging a show all on his own even if his team plays poorly. Unlike Messi, the Manchester United superstar has a reduced involvement in building up plays, as he spends a lot of time around the opposition box. However, Ronaldo is always available to make a difference in front of goal.
