The Messi vs Ronaldo debate has been an intensely fought one with both sets of fans poring through statistics, records and numbers to prove that their favourite player is indeed the best in the business.
The footballing world’s most intensely raging debate for the title of the best in the world has now been taken into another dimension, the virtual world. With gaming giants EA Sports and Konami releasing their widely popular FIFA and PES series of video games respectively each year, the competition between Messi and Ronaldo for the best player in the world also heats up.
The stakes now include bragging rights over the virtual footballing world.
The FIFA series has featured both Ronaldo and Messi since the release of FIFA 06 in 2005 when the two were scrawny youngsters trying to make their mark at the biggest clubs in the world and were nowhere close to the superstars they are now. Having the highest rating on a FIFA or a PES instalment is the gaming equivalent of the Ballon D’or, it more or less proves that you are the best player in the game.
While FIFA 17 sees Cristiano Ronaldo crowned the best in the game with an overall of 94 after his superb season with club and country, FIFA 05 even back then had Ronaldo at Manchester United with an astounding overall of 94 while Messi, currently at a rating of 93, was just another La Masia youngster trying to make his mark at Barcelona with an overall of 78.
Messi’s rating since FIFA 05 has seen a consistent increment. The Argentinian breaches the 90 mark in FIFA 08 and overtakes his Portuguese rival Ronaldo in FIFA 10 where the latter dips below the 90 mark, with a rating of 89 and Messi remains a solid 90.
La Pulga was then the best player in the game for four consecutive years till FIFA 17 when Ronaldo was finally able to get the better of the Argentine after his Champions League and European Championship triumphs.
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| FIFA Edition | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
| FIFA 06 | 94 | 78 |
| FIFA 07 | 87 | 84 |
| FIFA 08 | 91 | 86 |
| FIFA 09 | 91 | 90 |
| FIFA 10 | 93 | 90 |
| FIFA 11 | 89 | 90 |
| FIFA 12 | 92 | 94 |
| FIFA 13 | 92 | 94 |
| FIFA 14 | 92 | 94 |
| FIFA 15 | 92 | 93 |
| FIFA 16 | 93 | 94 |
| FIFA 17 | 94 | 93 |
The Pro Evolution Soccer series, released by Konami, have also featured both the world’s best players since the release of PES 06. PES then discontinued the overall rating system for players till it was brought back with the release of PES 11 in 2010.
PES 06 had Lionel Messi rated in the sixties with a measly 69 while Ronaldo was already one of the best players in the game with a rating of 91. When PES reintroduced the ratings system, both players were at the peak of their careers, having won Champions League titles with their respective clubs.
Both superstars were rated at 98 in PES 11 and the Argentine’s remained there till PES 15, while Ronaldo suffered a minor dip in PES 12, when he had a rating of 97. After that, he too remained level with Messi at 98 till PES 15.
PES 16 and PES 17 saw Lionel Messi being the best player in the game with an overall of 94 while the 32-year-old Portuguese was a fraction lower at 93 in spite of winning the Champions League and European Championships in 2016.
Also Read: 5 cheap Lionel Messi alternatives in FIFA 17
| PES Edition | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
| PES 06 | 91 | 69 |
| PES 11 | 98 | 98 |
| PES 12 | 97 | 98 |
| PES 13 | 98 | 98 |
| PES 14 | 98 | 98 |
| PES 15 | 98 | 98 |
| PES 16 | 93 | 94 |
| PES 17 | 93 | 94 |
*PES did not have the overall rating feature between PES 06 and PES 11
The FIFA ratings see Cristiano Ronaldo better Messi’s ratings in five editions of the game, till FIFA 10. He then waited for seven more instalments before surpassing Messi’s rating again in FIFA 17. Messi has been crowned the best player in the game six times and his rival matches this feat with FIFA 17 where he gets a rating of 94 to Messi’s 93.
Contrary to the FIFA comparisons where we see a draw for the best player in the game, PES has a clear winner. Lionel Messi, whose initial PES rating starts at a 69, has been the outright best player in the game thrice, in PES 17, PES 16 and PES 12 while Ronaldo was the clear winner only in PES 06.
The two players share the first spot in the remaining editions with a rating of 98. In the past two editions of PES, where Lionel Messi emerged a clear winner with a rating of 94, the Real Madrid striker was a close second with an overall of 93.
Unfortunately for Ronaldo fans, Messi emerges the winner when it comes to PES, while the two superstars remain tied in the FIFA series. With no clear winner even in the gaming world, the debate of who is the best player in football is likely to continue.
Also Read: 5 most cheap Cristiano Ronaldo alternatives in FIFA 17
