What’s the story?
Carli Lloyd, US Women Soccer Team superstar, was asked the question that has everyone in modern football flummoxed. Who’s better? Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi... and Lloyd answered with traditional aplomb
(in case that tweet doesn’t load for you, this is what she wrote – Have to respect how hard Ronaldo works but Messi is my choice)
In case you didn’t know...
Carli Lloyd is US Soccer’s (that’s what they call Football in that unique land) poster girl. She was the recipient of the most recently awarded FIFA World Player of the Year Award (2015) and deservedly so, having also won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (and the Silver Boot, to boot) while guiding the US to World Cup triumph. A midfielder by trade, she’s gained a reputation as a clutch player – chipping in with goals when most required. With a powerful header in her arsenal, she can also shoot powerfully with both feet – a prized asset for any footballer.
The heart of the matter
THE debate has gripped the footballing world for nigh on a decade now, and Carli Lloyd is just the latest to throw her hat in the ring for one of the two megastars. The theme seems to be constant for all those who have shown support for Messi; Ronaldo’s hard work and utter professionalism comes in for high praise, but Messi’s other-worldly ability to do things with a football that most of us can’t even begin to understand wins them over. Coming from a woman who has been known to do some quite incredible things with the ball herself, the analysis, and the opinion, that she carries a lot of substance.
What next?
FIFA will announce it’s brand new awards – the BEST FIFA Awards – tomorrow in a gala ceremony set to be held in Zurich, Switzerland. Carli Lloyd is favourite to win the award for BEST women’s footballer – for which Marta and Melanie Behringer have also been shortlisted, while Messi and Ronaldo will thrash it out for the men’s version of the award – with Antoine Griezmann giving them company in the nominations list.
Read, Also – The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016: All you need to know
Sportskeeda’s Take
Opinions are a purely subjective thing, and hence cannot be taken as the final answer for anything – but a considered opinion from one of the best in the trade is always worthy of assessment.
Our take on Messi and Ronaldo, though? Who cares – why can’t we just sit back and enjoy those two marvellous sporting phenomena?
