5 reasons behind Lionel Messi's incredible form this season

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo's dominance

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both dominated the football world for the past 9 years

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are by far the two greatest players in the world at the moment. They have created a duopoly, dominating the football world for the past 9 years. The two superstars have maintained a level that is quite superior to the level of others, scoring 30, 40 or 50+ goals every season.

Their individual performances have brought several comparisons between them as fans and journalists try to prove one is greater than the other. Before now, Lionel Messi has always had a slight edge over his Portuguese rival. This is because of the fact that the Argentine icon has more Ballon d’Or awards than the Real Madrid superstar.

However following Ronaldo’s brilliance in the recent season as he pretty much single-handedly led Real Madrid to the Champions League trophy as well as claiming their first La Liga title in 5 years, things have changed.

Lionel Messi recognizes that Cristiano Ronaldo could match his Ballon d’Or record this season, as the Portuguese sensation is the heavy favourite for the award this time around.

Therefore, the Argentine superstar was motivated and inspired to improve his game. This brought about the blistering performances we have seen as the Argentine has become unstoppable this term.

Moreover, There is no doubt that Messi and Ronaldo inspire each other. When the Real Madrid winger was asked about his competition with the Barca maestro back in 2015, he told France Football:

“I’m sure the competition between us is sufficient motivation and it’s the same for him too,”

“It’s good for me, for him and for other players who are eager to improve themselves. That’s good for the world of football."