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There are many talented footballers on earth, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are definitely from another planet. Many books have been written about them, many documentaries showing their supernatural gifts and many magical moments have been witnessed on the television. But, there are no words that fully describe the extra-terrestrial qualities that these amazing players possess.
For the past few years, these 2 superstars have been the most dominant players in the sport, winning every individual award they came across. They have created an amazing duopoly on top of the football world, sharing the last 10 Ballon d'Or awards among them (5 apiece). They have also won a lot of trophies, as well as major honors in their glittering careers.
Due to their superiority, they have remained the forerunners of football's most coveted individual award, the Ballon d'Or, since the first time they stepped on the stage in 2007. In fact, as a result of their incredible dominance, the award has become a two-horse race, with either of these great superstars claiming it every season for the last 10 years.
This season will be like the previous ones as these amazing superstars have maintained their brilliant level of consistency, scoring plenty goals and breaking many records as they charge their respective teams to glory. Therefore, let us quickly take a look at how these superstars have faired against each other on their way to claim football's most decorated award. We will do this by comparing their performances in the major competitions their clubs have featured in this season. Let's go:
#4. Copa Del Rey
The Copa Del Rey is Spain's most important knock-out trophy. Just like the recent years, the tournament was really competitive this season. Various football clubs across various divisions in the Spanish territory all fought for the chance to lay their hands on the trophy.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid also featured in the tournament this year. Starting with Cristiano Ronaldo, very little can be said about his performances in the competition this term. The Portuguese could not prevent his team from crashing out of the competition for a 5th straight year after they were beaten by Leganes and sent packing from the competition in the quarterfinals (although he did not feature). Moreover, he has a very poor record in the tournament this year, with no goal or assists to his name.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, fully dominated the tournament. The Argentine led his team to claim the Copa Del Rey trophy for a fourth consecutive season. He helped FC Barcelona to destroy Sevilla FC in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, scoring one and assisting 2 as Barca beat Sevilla 5-0. The playmaker has 4 goals and 4 assists to his name in the tournament this year.
#3. La Liga
La Liga has been really interesting this year, with many outstanding superstars setting it ablaze with their fantastic performances. The likes of Luis Suarez, Iago Aspas, and Antoine Griezman have never ceased to surprise football fans with their incredible performances in the Spanish top flight this season.
However, it is Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who have been the stand-out performers in the League this campaign. Even though Ronaldo and Real Madrid started the campaign slowly, the Portuguese finally reached his top form in early 2018. The attacker has been scoring freely since the turn of the year and has recorded 24 goals and 5 assists to his name. He has helped his team to maintain their third position on the table despite their poor start to the season.
Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi has been the best player in the Spanish league this season, with his scintillating performances and an incredible level of consistency. The playmaker has been very impressive since the league started and has almost single-handedly won it for his club. Barcelona currently need just one victory to claim the title this season. The Argentine has scored 29 goals and bagged 12 assists in the Spanish top flight and is on course to defend his Pichichi award. In fact, Messi was the victor when the two superstars faced each other in the El Classico this season, as the playmaker inspired the Blaugrana to a 3-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu to nail his dominance.
#2. UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League is Europe's most coveted trophy, and it has played vital roles in deciding the winner of the Ballon d'Or for the past few years. The tournament has been fantastic this season with a lot of giant clashes, magic moments and interesting events.
As usual, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the forerunners, but the Portuguese superstar has been the better player in the competition. In fact, Ronaldo has reinstated his stand as one of the greatest players the tournament has witnessed, with many unbelievable displays this year.
The winger has been the best player in the Champions League so far and is currently the top goalscorer in the competition. He has already scored 15 goals and bagged 3 assists to lead Real Madrid to the semi-finals, as they attempt to defend the trophy for a record consecutive third time.
Lionel Messi has also been a brilliant player in the Champions League this season scoring 6 goals and assisting twice. However, the Argentine failed to inspire his team as they were disqualified from the competition by Roma in the quarter-finals.
#1. Summary
As we can see, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been at fantastic levels this season. In fact, it is a great joy to be presented the privilege to compare these two great superstars. At the end of the head-to-head battle, here is the breakdown of their performances across all competitions this season:
Copa Del Rey
Cristiano Ronaldo - 0 goals, 0 assists
Lionel Messi - 4 goals, 4 assists
Winner - Lionel Messi
La Liga
Cristiano Ronaldo - 24 goals, 5 assists
Lionel Messi - 29 goals, 12 assists
Winner - Lionel Messi
UEFA Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo - 15 goals, 3 assists
Lionel Messi - 6 goals, 2 assists
Winner - Cristiano Ronaldo
Trophies
Cristiano Ronaldo - 0
Lionel Messi - 1 (Copa Del Rey)
Winner (for now) - Lionel Messi
Author's comment: Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been brilliant this season. The Argentine has dominated the Copa Del Rey and the La Liga while his Portuguese superstar has been the stand-out player in the Champions League. But, the Barca legend currently has the edge over his Real Madrid counterpart as he has dominated 2 competitions and has already won a trophy for the Blaugrana.
However, Ronaldo has the chance to catch his eternal rival if he can lead Los Blancos to a third consecutive Champions League triumph. It should not be forgotten that the World Cup will also play a vital role in deciding who the best player of the season is.
All stats via whoscored.com
