#2 Dribbling, technical ability and decision-making
While Ronaldo relies on his physical ability and heading prowess, the little magician is by far the better player with the ball at his feet. Impossible to tackle when on the ball, Messi has consistently scored goals by dribbling past more than 4-5 players in a single attempt. While Ronaldo is often fouled and receives free kicks in his favor, the Argentine is absolutely impossible to stop once he builds up a head of steam. Where Ronaldo is extremely quick and can shred defenders using raw pace, his ability to change direction quickly is nonexistent. Messi's smaller frame meanwhile allows him to change direction almost 90 degrees without losing momentum, something no other player is capable of.
Messi’s vision and decision making is also far superior when compared to the Portugal man’s. The 29-year-old rarely takes shots from distance or when surrounded, when a teammate is in a better position. His vision to pick out the perfect pass and execute effectively is also right there amongst the best.
Luis Figo once heaped the highest praise on Messi saying, "For me, to watch Messi play is a pleasure – it’s like having an orgasm – it’s an incredible pleasure."
