Who will shine brighter - Messi or Ronaldo?
They are widely acknowledged as the best players in the world. But
who will shine brighter at this year's World Cup finals - Argentina's
footballer of the year Lionel Messi or previous accolade winner
Cristiano Ronaldo?
The two starlets ply their trade on opposite sides of the Spanish
footballing divide and for the most part it has been the Argentine who
has come out on top.
First, he nodded in the clincher in the 2009 Champions League final
to see off his rival's then club Manchester United.
Then, Messi landed another Spanish league crown with 34 league goals
enough to see him crowned champion and top marksman as Ronaldo had to
settle for runner-up with Real Madrid after his 80 million euro move
from Old Trafford.
It was the same story as Messi carried off the FIFA world footballer
of the year award. The two stars can only meet if both sides reach the
final - but the form of both players will be instrumental in how their
respective nations do.
A curious facet of both countries' qualifying was that both players
struggled to shine in the way they do for their clubs.
Argentina limped through in the fourth and final regional qualifying
spot while Ronaldo did not even score throughout a campaign which only
saw Portugal's tickets secured via a playoff success over Bosnia.
Now the stakes are high for Messi's gauchos and Ronaldo's Portuguese
as they try to click in the national shirt.
The Argentine has a point to prove after coach Diego Maradona
publicly anointed Messi as his successor, then saw the man they nickname
"the flea" fail to create much buzz during a qualifying campaign which
reached its nadir with a 6-1 hiding away to Bolivia. But Messi is
focused and has fixed his eyes on the prize - which would add to the
unprecedented six trophies he won in 2009 with Barca.
"The year I had (in 2009) I can only top off by winning the World Cup
and I hope I can raise my game in the national team," the player who is
modest to a fault recently said.
Certainly the man who can cause defenders to have sleepless nights
has the talent to win matches almost on his own - if the Barcelona
version shows up.
"I hope to produce the same form as for Barcelona," Messi noted
before arriving in South Africa while explaining that it was difficult
to put his finger on the difference between the club game and the
international version.
I will give the answer to that one out on the pitch," he promised.
Likewise Ronaldo, who won a full set of domestic honours with United,
must hope that donning a red shirt once more - this time of his country
- will help him to step up a gear and revive the national side.
His role, both for providing goals but also supplying them, is now
enhanced by the absence through injury of former clubmate Nani.
The 25-year-old, like Messi, is totally focused on the prize.
"When I hang up my boots I want to be remembered as having been an
exemple and a fantastic player. I want to go down in history."
Having come off second best in his contests to date with Messi,
Ronaldo will gain scant consolation from the knowledge that he has just
been unveiled in wax form at Madame Tussauds museum in London - joining
Pele, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard, while Messi has yet to feature
at the top attraction. PARIS, Friday, AFP |