El Clasico: 5 reasons why Ronaldo will outshine Messi

The trumpets are almost blaring and the sirens are almost ringing: it is that time of the year when two of the biggest clubs in the world are going to face each other in the biggest club football match in the world.

Real Madrid and Barcelona—the two eternal rivals are going to lock horns on the 24th as the Catalans are leading the league by 6 points and the holders by 11 points. A win for Barca will put them in the ascendancy for the league title (no offence to Valencia) and a win for Madrid will bring about a ray of hope for the Blancos.

And the onus to perform is on the best goalscorer of the two teams—the two best players in the world—Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. However, there is a chance that the Portuguese will outperform the Argentine and here are 5 reasons why…

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#5 Backing his statement

After winning the Ballon d’Or a week ago, the Portugal captain stated that he is the best player of all time. Indeed, according to him, no other player has got anything on him.

"I'm the best player in history, in the good moments and the bad ones," he told France Football. "I respect everyone's preferences, but I've never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There's no player more complete than me.

"I play well with both feet, I'm quick, powerful, good with the head, I score goals, I make assists. There are guys who prefer Neymar or (Lionel) Messi. But I tell you: there's no-one more complete than me.

"No one has won as many individual trophies as me. And I'm not speaking just of the Ballon d'Or. That says something, doesn't it? It's not just a result of the work I do in the gym, like some people think. It's the sum of many things."

Big words from the big man, isn’t it? After saying such words, there are only two things that could happen: become an object of ridicule or back it up with your performances.

So far, he has backed it up with two goals from two Club World Cup games, helping the Blancos to an unprecedented consecutive CWC win. Next up is the Clasico and going by how the Portuguese has lived his career, there is a good chance to make it three good games in a row.

#4 Proving doubters wrong

Ronaldo has to prove his doubters wrong time and time again

The one thing that Cristiano Ronaldo has had to face in his entire career far more than any other player in the world is doubters. You can go all around the world and find a place where there is no oxygen, but you will still not find a place that hasn’t got a Ronaldo doubter.

Indeed, just after winning the 5th Ballon d’Or, Gremio coach and compatriot, Renato Gaucho, who himself was a good player in his time, didn’t hold back on boasting about his qualities as a player, claiming that he stands by what he said earlier in the year that he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo is now.

"I maintain that [the comments made earlier in the year]. That's why I admire Cristiano. He's a true champion. He is one of the greatest players in the world, with great qualities," Renato said.

"Every year he tries to break his own record. I really admire that in a player. He is also very generous off the pitch, which I admire a lot too.

"But it's very easy for those who didn't see me play to only praise Cristiano Ronaldo. I applaud him in every way.

"To know who played better, you would have to talk with a lot of people who also saw me play.

"So, my opinion remains the same. I admire him a lot, but that's my opinion. Everyone has their own opinion, I have mine too."

Indeed, after he spat those words from his mouth, World Cup winning former Brazil manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari backed his compatriot.

"I think Renato was a better player but Cristiano is more of a goalscorer," said Scolari.

The original comments of Renato were even more demeaning to the Portuguese.

"I have no doubt [that I was better than Cristiano is]. I would like to see him play in the teams I played for, without being paid for three or four months and to continue being a champion like I did. I would like to have played at Real Madrid, with games once a week on wonderful pitches and with the teammates he has."

"Ronaldo is a great player, but not as versatile as I was. He is very strong but he doesn't have much technique. This generation hasn't seen me play, whoever did get the chance to see me, has a different opinion," he continued.

And this is just a minuscule of the number of things he has to listen to even after winning so many things in his career—which is why he will be motivated to play even better. Not that he owes them anything—he has achieved everything there is to—but who doesn’t love slapping their critics in the face?

#3 Everything to lose for Madrid

Madrid players celebrate after sealing 2017 La Liga

Right now, the Blancos are 11 points behind their eternal rivals. A loss would virtually—actually, realistically—kick them out of the contention of winning the league. Even though the Galacticos have a game in hand, going 11 points behind their rivals is something no club would like to have to go through.

As a result, Madrid will have to be at their best. Period. If they slip up, La Liga goes and so does the consistency that was sustained at the end of the last season.

And the onus will be on Cristiano Ronaldo to ensure that the Blancos outscore their rivals. As Karim Benzema is still on the free-fall and is seemingly never going to get out it, the responsibility to score falls on the broad and strong shoulders of the Portugal captain.

He might be showing signs of slowing down with age, but you can never really count out the 5 time Ballon d’Or winner to do something spectacular.

#2 Everything to lose for Ronaldo

There is everything to lose for him

And this is where his personal glory also unfolds. If Madrid win, Cristian Ronaldo wins. All the individual honours that he won in his career has Madrid’s trophies as a base—except in 2013—and the Galacticos will have to do well and win titles for the former Manchester United man to be up there in the Ballon d’Or podium next year.

For every player, winning the Ballon d’Or is a special thing, no matter how much he denies it. And in the case of the former Sporting starlet, the highest individual honour holds a high place in his mind. After losing the Ballon d’Or to Messi for four years in a row, he was seemingly exasperated, with him claiming that he often felt demotivated.

“I won the Ballon d’Or before Messi, then he overtook me and won four in a row,” he said after lifting his 5th Ballon d’Or.

“I’m not going to hide from you that I was sad and angry. I went to the award ceremonies and I never won. At one point, I was even demotivated. I had no desire to go. To be there for the photo didn’t interest me.

“Then, little by little, thanks to those close to me, I told myself that in life there is a beginning and an end. And in football what counts is the finish, not the start. I was patient. And I won four other Ballons d’Ors.”

Why am I bringing this all up? Because… if Real Madrid lose on the 24th, they lose La Liga, which automatically reduces the Portuguese’s chances to win the Ballon d’Or next year—and he wouldn’t want that!

#1 Madrid have a better team

Madrid have the most complete team in the world

Yes, I said it. And nobody in their right minds would deny it. While it is true that the Galacticos are 11 points behind their fiercest rivals, one look at the two teams and you can instantly realise that there is a sufficient gap in quality.

Barcelona have a great team, but nothing like their seemingly unbeatable unit under Pep Guardiola. Madrid, over the years, have developed a squad capable of beating anyone. Indeed, they are the benchmark for every club.

The midfielders of Real Madrid are Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Isco. And for Barca? An ageing Andres Iniesta, an erratic Ivan Rakitic, a forgotten Arda Turan, Sergio Busquets and Paulinho, who was an object of ridicule of the fans when he was signed.

The only difference between the two teams is Messi, but then Real Madrid have Cristiano Ronaldo and the latter has a very good group of players around him, which makes him more likely to perform better than his Argentine counterpart.