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this is a reliable source because it is found at ebsco. It talks about the soccer & player Messi's life

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Messi, Lionel (1987-...), is an outstanding Argentine soccer player. Soccer is called football in many parts of the world. is a striker-a mainly offensive, rather than defensive, position. He is a star with FC Barcelona in La Liga, Spain's highest league. He has helped lead the club to several national and international championships. also played on the Argentine national team that won the gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Messi became the first player to win the Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) as the world's best player four consecutive years. The trophy is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the world governing body of the sport. received the award for the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015 seasons. In 2012, scored 91 goals, the most by a player during one calendar year in professional soccer history. On Nov. 22, 2014, Messi scored his 252nd goal in La Liga competition, setting a new career league record.

Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. He began playing soccer as a child, playing on local teams. From the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a deficiency of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone is the main hormone that regulates human growth and development during childhood and adolescence. FC Barcelona signed Messi to a contract and agreed to pay for his treatment, and so he and his family moved to Barcelona. Messi joined the Barcelona youth team in 2000. He made his league debut in 2004.

Messi obtained Spanish citizenship in 2005 but kept his Argentine citizenship as well. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in a World Cup match. In 2008-2009, Messi scored 38 goals to help Barcelona win a rare "treble" of the La Liga and Copa del Rey championships in Spain, and the European Champions League title. On March 7, 2012, Messi set a Champions League record by scoring five goals against Bayer Leverkusen. Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2014 World Cup tournament. Argentina lost to Germany in the finals, 1-0.

*Copyright © 2020 World Almanac Education Group, Inc., Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia' and text may not be copied without their express written permission except for the print or download capabilities of the retrieval software used for access. This text is intended solely for the use of the individual user.
Source: Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
Accession Number: me093350

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Messi, Lionel (1987-...), is an outstanding Argentine soccer player. Soccer is called football in many parts of the world. is a striker-a mainly offensive, rather than defensive, position. He is a star with FC Barcelona in La Liga, Spain's highest league. He has helped lead the club to several national and international championships.

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https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-legends-reactions-rivalries-cristiano-ronaldo-has-been-voted-the-greatest-player-of-all-time-20200402

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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This source is reliable because it has the written & publisher who is a journalist. Also, This source is published quit recently (2021 Feb 1st) and it will make the source more updated than any other sources.

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, in full Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, (born February 5, 1985, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal), Portuguese football (soccer) forward who was one of the greatest players of his generation.

When was Cristiano Ronaldo born?

What was Cristiano Ronaldo's early life like?

What was Cristiano Ronaldo best known for?

How did Cristiano Ronaldo become world famous?

Ronaldo's father, José Dinis Aveiro, was the equipment manager for the local club Andorinha. (The name Ronaldo was added to Cristiano's name in honour of his father's favourite movie actor, Ronald Reagan, who was U.S. president at the time of Cristiano's birth.) At age 15 Ronaldo was diagnosed with a heart condition that necessitated surgery, but he was sidelined only briefly and made a full recovery. He first played for Clube Desportivo Nacional of Madeira and then transferred to Sporting Clube de Portugal (known as Sporting Lisbon), where he played for that club's various youth teams before making his debut on Sporting's first team in 2002.

A tall player at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 metres), Ronaldo was a formidable athlete on the pitch. Originally a right-winger, he developed into a forward with a free-reined attacking style. He was able to mesmerize opponents with a sleight of foot that made sufficient space for openings in opposing defenses.

After a successful season with Sporting that brought the young player to the attention of Europe's biggest football clubs, Ronaldo signed with English powerhouse Manchester United in 2003. He was an instant sensation and soon came to be regarded as one of the best forwards in the game. His finest season with United came in 2007-08, when he scored 42 League and Cup goals and earned the Golden Shoe award as Europe's leading scorer, with 31 League goals. After helping United to a Champions League title in May 2008, Ronaldo captured Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Player of the Year honours for his stellar 2007-08 season. He also led United to an appearance in the 2009 Champions League final, which they lost to FC Barcelona.

Soon thereafter Ronaldo was sold to Spain's Real Madrid-a club with which he had long been rumoured to want to play-for a then record £80 million (about $131 million) transfer fee. His scoring prowess continued with his new team, and he netted the most goals (40) in La Liga history during the 2010-11 season (his record was broken the following season by his rival Lionel Messi of Barcelona). In 2011-12 Ronaldo helped Madrid capture a La Liga championship and scored a personal-best 46 goals during the League season. He scored a total of 66 goals in 56 appearances with Madrid and the Portuguese national team in 2013 to earn his second world player of the year award (the FIFA World Player of the Year was renamed the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010). In 2014 he scored 52 goals in 43 games and led Madrid to a Champions League title, which resulted in Ronaldo capturing another Ballon d'Or award. In 2014-15 he netted 48 goals to lead La Liga in scoring. Ronaldo netted his 324th goal as a member of Real in October 2015 to become the club's all-time leading goal scorer. He scored 35 La Liga goals in 2015-16 and helped Real win its record 11th Champions League title, and in December 2016 he won a fourth career Ballon d'Or for his accomplishments. Ronaldo scored 42 goals for Real across all competitions in 2016-17 and led his team to La Liga and Champions League titles that season, which resulted in a fifth career Ballon d'Or award. In 2017-18 he scored 44 goals in 44 games, and Real won a third straight Champions League title. In July 2018 he reached a four-year contract worth €112 million (about $132 million) with the Italian powerhouse Juventus. He finished his Real career with 311 goals in 292 matches. He scored 28 goals in his first season with Juventus-his lowest domestic goal total since his last season with Manchester United-as the powerhouse club won its eighth straight Italian league title.

On his home soil, after moving through the youth and under-21 ranks, Ronaldo had made his first appearance for Portugal's full national team against Kazakhstan in August 2003 (four days after his debut for United). He was a key player in Portugal's fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup and became the full-time captain of the national team in 2008. In 2012 his stellar play led Portugal to the semifinals of the European Championship, where his team was eliminated by rival Spain in a match that was decided by a penalty kick shoot-out. Ronaldo came into the 2014 World Cup hot off of his second world player of the year win, but his play at the tournament was spotty, and the entire Portugal team struggled during a group-stage elimination. In 2016 he helped Portugal win the European Championship, the country's first major international tournament title, although he only played sparingly in the final because of a knee injury that he had sustained early in the match. Ronaldo played brilliantly at the 2018 World Cup, scoring four goals in four games as Portugal advanced to the knockout round only to lose its first match of that stage to a strong defensive Uruguay side.

Ronaldo was one of the most well-known sports stars off the field, and numerous studies of athletes' popularity showed that he was the most-beloved athlete in the world during his playing peak. His extreme popularity made Ronaldo one of the highest-paid endorsers in sports history, and in November 2016 he became the third person (after basketball superstars Michael Jordan and LeBron James) to earn a "lifetime" contract from the sportswear company Nike. Moreover, he established his own successful "CR7" brand of products that included shoes, underwear, and fragrances. Ronaldo's immense marketability was at the centre of a legal issue that arose in June 2017. That month prosecutors filed a lawsuit that accused Ronaldo of defrauding the Spanish government of €14.7 million ($16.5 million) by hiding his image-rights income in Spain from 2011 to 2014. He was accused of having underestimated the income he earned from the sale and licensing of his image rights and the accompanying tax obligations, but Ronaldo denied all allegations. However, in June 2018 he accepted a suspended two-year prison sentence and agreed to pay €18.8 million ($21.8 million) to the Spanish government to settle the case.

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese football (soccer) forward who was one of the greatest players of his generation. He led Portugal to the 2016 European Championship, the first major international title in the country's history. He also starred for the domestic clubs Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.

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https://www.getepic.com/app/read/65393

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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https://newsela.com/read/rapinoe-messi-fifa-award/id/57642/?search_id=b568a198-0f86-43ca-894e-62c85021c875

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https://www.sportszion.com/8-reasons-why-ronaldo-is-better-than-messi/

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https://www.messivsronaldo.app/

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http://web.a.ebscohost.com/src_ic/detail/detail?vid=7&sid=d91293a3-1b0d-4ecf-8a54-67f23f22e96a%40sdc-v-sessmgr01&bdata=#AN=61283179&db=mih

This is a reliable source because it is found on the site ebsco. It talks about the initial careers of Ronaldo that allowed him to develop as an veteran.

Who: MARCOTTI, GABRIELE
When:2011
Why: to talk about Ronaldo's careers.

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http://web.a.ebscohost.com/src_ic/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=d91293a3-1b0d-4ecf-8a54-67f23f22e96a%40sdc-v-sessmgr01

Likewise, this source is reliable because it is found from the site ebsco. It talks about the sportsmanship of Ronaldo and how he recovers from injuries.

Who:  Stenger, Brad, Tasch, Barbara, TIME Magazine
When: 2014
Why: to talk about how pro players in sports recover and prepare.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxV2Uj17e8Y

This source is reliable because this video is made from Fifa. It talks about the overall career of Ronaldo

Who: Fifa
When: 2020
Why: to explain how much Ronaldo is good at soccer.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z4SupFaTeKkhheE8QITeSmuRzGftDzBj/view?usp=sharing

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Addition of second source (Ronaldo and his career) 

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Addition of second source (Ronaldo and his career) 

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http://web.b.ebscohost.com/src_ic/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=bda1390f-1ac2-44d7-9035-943a14965d67%40pdc-v-sessmgr01&bdata=#AN=ro068675&db=funk

This source is reliable because there are writer, publisher, published date, and last edit written, and this source is from ebscso.

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Cristiano Ronaldo - Unhuman : The Story Behind The Legend - Documentary

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https://www.theperspective.com/debates/sports/messi-ronaldo-truly-best/

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https://bleacherreport.com/articles/777625-5-reasons-why-lionel-messi-is-not-worlds-greatest-footballer

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https://www.sportszion.com/8-reasons-why-ronaldo-is-better-than-messi/

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This page contains information about a player's detailed stats. In the info box, you can filter by period, club, type of league and competition. The "Detailed stats" tab shows a player's total appearances, goals, cards and cumulative minutes of play for each competition, and indicates the season in which it occurred.

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This page contains information about a player's detailed stats. In the info box, you can filter by period, club, type of league and competition. The "Detailed stats" tab shows a player's total appearances, goals, cards and cumulative minutes of play for each competition, and indicates the season in which it occurred.

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https://www.sportszion.com/8-reasons-why-ronaldo-is-better-than-messi/
This is a reliable source because it is from the sports news page. It talks about why Ronaldo is better than Messi
Who: Jidonu Mauyon
Why: to argue that Ronaldo is better
When: 2019

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Lionel Messi, the little magician is an outright legend of soccer. Fan bases and soccer pundits around the world, have often acknowledged him as the "GOAT"- the greatest of all time. The Argentine maestro casts a spell of magic every time he steps up on the field of soccer. Needless to say, he strikes fear in the opponent camp and is a component of nightmares for defenders.

Sixteen years into playing professional soccer at the topmost tier, Leo has surpassed countless records, etching his name in history books. An inspiration to many, Messi is known for his enigmatic dribbling skills while nutmegging the defenders and gliding the ball into the opponent's goal.

The world of soccer has seen absolute greats pop up at different timelines, Messi is one of them. Be it Pele or Maradona, be it Zidane or Ronaldinho, comparisons between players are a commonality.

Who is better at soccer Messi or Ronaldo?

The Argentine skipper has often been compared to another Argentine legend- Diego Maradona. However, his comparisons with the Portuguese Powerhouse, Cristiano Ronaldo is by far one of the most intriguing ones.

It is quite rare for two players of astronomical grandeur to showcase their talent at the same time. Messi and Cristiano have been doing exactly that for more than fifteen years now.

The Messi Ronaldo saga is so engaging that it has led to brawls at parties and jostles at stadiums. Several questions about who is better Ronaldo or Messi, have been raised and debated on for a long time.

Standing on the threshold of the thirty-third birthday of Lionel Messi, we all have a look at the Top 10 reasons why Messi is better than Ronaldo. Let's grab a cup of coffee and relive the maestro's superiority at the zenith.

#10. Team Game - who is better messi or ronaldo

Anyone who plays or follows soccer would understand the importance of team game. No matter how big or dexterous a player is, if he's not helping his teammates, the game cannot be won.

Messi is not only one a cut above others in skills, but his mental reading of the game is also second to none. It is the mental framework that helps him realize who is the best player to score from a certain attack. As a result, it is reflected in the wins churned out for Barcelona.

Ronaldo, though he's a great ambassador of the game, he is often criticized for being selfish before the goal. In Barcelona, it is seen how teammates flock around Leo who helps in providing assists. Whereas, Ronaldo at times is a lonely figure at the front. Messi can easily fit in any outfit across the globe, but for Ronaldo, it is not so. Cristiano is a sheer mismatch for teams playing possession-based football.

#9. Defending

If there is one attribute in Cristiano Ronaldo's gameplay that strikes low in contrast to Messi's, it is his defending. Ronaldo's fans may question the need of him defending albeit being a central forward. However, the game of soccer entitles one as a great when that player shows all-round brilliance.

In contrast to Ronaldo's 0.3 interception rate and 0.2 tackle rate per match, Messi stands tall. In La Liga alone, Messi has gathered up 0.6 interception rate added to his 0.7 tackle rate per game. Unlike Cristiano, Messi can be seen pressing for the ball throughout 90 minutes. (Video Courtesy -Anass)

#8. Discipline

While it comes to discipline, the Argentine has far better records then the Portuguese. Throughout their career, the difference in the attitude of both the legends is striking enough.

While Ronaldo is known for his witty remarks on and off the field, his cocky attitude has often put him in trouble. Though Messi is one of the most tackled players in the history of the game his calmness personifies a soothing aura.

In his entire career till date, Messi has received 77 yellow cards and 2 paltry red cards (both coming in international matches for Argentina). On the other hand, Ronaldo has 120 yellow cards to his name and has been sent off 11 times. Messi has been suspended for 4 games. Whereas, Ronaldo has suffered a similar fate in 24 matches.

#7. Passing Ability

Thanks to Pep Guardiola and his tiki-taka style of soccer, Lionel Messi has become a fine-grained passer in the soccer world. Playing beside the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta, the wizard has mastered the art of passing.

It seems as if Lionel Messi has a live blueprint of the match inside his brain. Whether it is a short pass or a long haul, his passes are inch-perfect. Though Ronaldo's passing accuracy is better than most players, it is not as impressive as Messi's.

Be it defensively, creating a counter-attack, or be it at the attacking end, Leo's passing ability is unmatchable.

#6. Accolades

Neither of the superstars is shy when it comes to collecting trophies and awards and filling up their cabinet. If we collect the gold from both these players, we might as well be able to buy an island in the Caribbean.

Messi edges past Ronaldo in terms of the Ballon d'Or as he has 6 compared to Ronaldo's 5. Although he has never won a World Cup, he has the Golden Ball from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo's fans argue that Messi has no international trophies while Ronaldo has one. Messi, on the other hand, Leo has an Olympic gold medal and an under 20 World Cup title.

Apart from an international trophy, Messi has won almost every award, putting him before CR7.If one sits down to count the duo's achievements, he might as well be lost in oblivion.

#5. Goal Scoring Prowess - who has more goals Messi or Ronaldo

Every time you sit down between a Ronaldo and Messi fan, you get engrossed in their heated arguments. Questions like- has Ronaldo scored more goals than Messi or has Messi scored more goals than Ronaldo spice it up.

A plethora of goals in each player's kitty reflects their hunger for goals. While in the Champions League, Ronaldo is the highest goal scorer, in La Liga it is LM10 (Leo). Messi had scored a jaw-dropping 91 goals in a season that is God-like. Considering the ages of both the players, Messi has a great chance of going past Ronaldo's goal scoring tally.

A recent report by michelacosta.com highlights the scoring tally of the two legends. Ronaldo has scored 725 goals in 1002 matches at an average of 0.72 goals per match. Whereas, Messi has netted 699 goals out of 859 matches at an impressive 0.81 goals per match.

#4. Technical Ability - who is faster Messi or Ronaldo

Ronaldo can score with his left foot, with his right foot, and with his head. However, it has taken the Portuguese years to become what he is today. Leo is different from CR7 in this aspect. Right from his La Masia academy days, Messi has always been a God-gifted player.

Ronaldo would set fire on the left-wing dribbling past one or two to score an amazing goal. Both these players are definitely the best wingers of all time. Messi would rather give short passes and when it comes solely to him, he would go onto dribble past 5 to 6 defenders to score a goal.

It's a treat to watch both the legends play, but the Barca skipper has something magical in him. Messi's left foot acts as a magic wand of the sorcerer; scoring stunning goals as well as assisting teammates.

#3. Attitude

Ronaldo might be one of the topmost spenders on charity, but on the field, he's an arrogant fellow. Messi too spends heavily on charity and unlike Ronaldo, he is the personification of calmness.

Criticisms on Ronaldo flock in from every corner of the world on how he dives. He stays on the ground even though he is fit enough to get up and play. Diving takes away the beauty of the game, overshadowing it with dishonesty. He portrays the sportsmanship spirit, even though Lionel Messi is one of the most tackled players in the world. If he is okay, he will always be seen getting on with the game.

#2. Free-kicks - is Messi better than Ronaldo?

In soccer, everything is so engaging that it keeps the spectators cling on to the edge of their seats. Free kicks happen to be one such aspect of the game that stupefies the dimensions of spectators' minds.

Both Messi and Ronaldo are chief constituents for their respective teams while taking free-kicks. While Ronaldo has scored 54 times from the free-kick spot, Messi has scored 52 times. It must be kept in mind that Ronaldo has played nearly 150 more matches than Messi.

Till the 2017 season, Ronaldo was much ahead of his rival. However, in the past few seasons, Messi has scored nearly a score number of free kicks. He is outright the better free-kick taker between the two. (Video Courtesy- Messi Magician HD)

#1. Accuracy

In terms of accuracy, Lionel Messi stands a cut above the rest. The Barca skipper has staggering numbers to his credit. He is almost as accurate as a calculator. Makes us wonder, how many goals has Messi scored in his career.

While Messi's average goal scoring rate is a whopping 0.81 per game which is far better than Ronaldo's. Ronaldo lags at 0.72 goals per game, even though he has played nearly 150 more games.

Out of the 75 tournaments Messi has taken part in, his team has won 35 of them. The win ratio here is 46.67, which is 39.74 for Ronaldo. Cristiano's team has won 31 out of the 78 tournaments that he has participated in. It is without any doubt that the Argentine is far more accurate than the Portuguese.

In this list, we had an overview of the Top 10 reasons why Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo. As a soccer fan, its best to gulp in all the magic created by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. With both of them well over thirties, it best to not miss their games as long as they are playing. Let the rivalry intensify and let the superstars perform their best.

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10 Reasons Why Lionel Messi Is Better Than Cristiano Ronaldo - Sportszion

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Lionel Messi, the little magician is an outright legend of soccer. Fan bases and soccer pundits around the world, have often acknowledged him as the "GOAT"- the greatest of all time. The Argentine maestro casts a spell of magic every time he steps up on the field of soccer.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer the best (or even 2nd best)! ► TFW

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https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football-legends/cristiano-ronaldo-dos-santos-aveiro

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYO6nygs9oo

This source is reliable because this video is made from FIFA, which is the official site of the international governing body of football.

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> You can no longer see Lionel Messi play at the Camp Nou but, a word of advice > As soon as you know the dates of your hotel in Barcelona, rush out and buy your FC Barcelona ticket, you're not the only Barça fan ;-)
Lionel Andrés Messi (born 24 June 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine international football player who played for FC Barcelona in the Primera División, and appears on Argentina's national team. Often touted in the media as New Maradona, Messi has been publicly named as his "successor" by Diego Maradona himself.

He is regarded as the best football player of his generation and one of the best in the history of the sport. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010.

Video: Best of Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was born in Santa Fe Province on 24 June 1987. At the age of five, he started playing football for Grandoli, a club coached by his father. In 1995, Messi switched to Newell's Old Boys. At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.

River Plate showed interest in Messi's progress, but did not have enough money to pay for the treatment of the illness, which cost over £500 a month. As Argentina's economy was collapsing, Carles Rexach, then sporting director of FC Barcelona, was made aware of Messi's talent, and Barcelona signed him after watching him play, offering to pay for the medical bills if he was willing to move to start a new life in Spain. His family moved with the young player to Europe and he starred in the club's youth teams.

He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team, averaging more than a goal per game, by scoring 35 goals in 30 matches.

In October 2004, Messi made his official début for the first team against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for FC Barcelona. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for FC Barcelona.

...
In 2021 he joins Paris Saint Germain for a new adventure.

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Barcelona.com: Lionel Andrés Messi info is a supporting striker at the FC Barcelona- Lionel Messi FC barcelona biography

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https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0262-10821d427dc2-6986c38c670b-1000--ronaldo-vs-messi/

This source is reliable because this site is made by Uefa which is a most popular soccer league, and it shows the last edited, writer, and the publisher

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https://www.theperspective.com/debates/sports/messi-ronaldo-truly-best/

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Who Is Lionel Messi?

Luis Lionel Andres ("Leo") Messi is an Argentinian soccer player who plays forward for the FC Barcelona club and the Argentina national team. At the age of 13, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain after FC Barcelona agreed to pay for his medical treatments.

There he earned renown as one of the greatest players in history, helping his club win more than two dozen league titles and tournaments. In 2012, he set a record for most goals in a calendar year, and in 2019, he was named Europe's Ballon d'Or winner for the sixth time.

Early Life

Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. As a young boy, Messi tagged along when his two older brothers played soccer with their friends, unintimidated by the bigger boys. At the age of 8, he was recruited to join the youth system of Newell's Old Boys, a Rosario-based club.

Recognizably smaller than most of the kids in his age group, Messi was eventually diagnosed by doctors as suffering from a hormone deficiency that restricted his growth. Messi's parents, Jorge and Ceclia, decided on a regimen of nightly growth-hormone injections for their son, though it soon proved impossible to pay several hundred dollars per month for the medication.

So, at the age of 13, when Messi was offered the chance to train at soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, and have his medical bills covered by the team, Messi's family picked up and moved across the Atlantic to make a new home in Spain. Although he was often homesick in his new country, Messi moved quickly through the junior system ranks.

Ultimately, Messi's short stature (5 feet, 7 inches), combined with his speed and relentless attacking style, has drawn comparisons to another famous Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona.

Photo: Josep Lago AFP Getty Images

Soccer Career and Teams

FC Barcelona and Argentina

Messi has only played for FC Barcelona, where he first signed at age 13. He also plays for the Argentina national team.

By the age of 16, Messi made his first appearance for the FC Barcelona, putting himself in the record books on May 1, 2005, as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the franchise. That same year, he led Argentina to the title in the under-20 World Cup, scoring on a pair of penalty kicks to propel the team over Nigeria.

Messi steered Barcelona to a wealth of success, most notably in 2009, when the left-footer's team captured the Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup titles. That same year, after two consecutive runner-up finishes, he took home his first FIFA "World Player of the Year" honor/Ballon d'Or award.

Even the great Maradona gushed about his fellow countryman. "I see him as very similar to me," the retired player told the BBC. "He's a leader and is offering lessons in beautiful football. He has something different than any other player in the world."

Amazingly, the soccer wizard continued to improve, discovering new ways to elude defenders while leading Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the '11 Champions League title.

Messi embarked on an all-out assault on the record books in 2012. He became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match in early March, and a few weeks later he surpassed Cesar Rodriguez's club-record 232 goals to become Barcelona's all-time leading scorer.

By the end of 2012, Messi had accumulated an astounding 91 goals in club and international play, eclipsing the 85 netted in a single calendar year by Gerd Muller in 1972. Fittingly, he broke another record when he was named the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner for the fourth time in January 2013.

The soccer great came back to earth somewhat that year due to the persistence of hamstring injuries, but he regained his record-breaking form by becoming the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and Champions League play in late 2014.

After helping Barcelona achieve a historic second treble in 2015, he was honored with his fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy. Four years later, following another La Liga title, Messi again established a new standard for excellence by claiming his sixth Ballon d'Or.

On August 10, 2021, Messi joined French club Paris Saint-Germain. He made his debut for the club on August 29.

Criticism for Argentina National Team Performance

For all his success with Barcelona, Messi has come under fire for his inability to help Argentina's national team win a major title. He did lead "La Albiceleste" to the final of the 2014 World Cup, and was named player of the tournament, although his team lost to Germany.

In 2016, following Argentina's second consecutive loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America tournament, Messi announced he was ending his run with the national team.

The soccer great eventually reversed his decision, but his participation in the 2018 World Cup did not bring that elusive title, as hoped. After Messi scored an early goal in a 2-1 win over Nigeria that helped his team advance from the group stage, he was largely kept in check by France, his two assists not enough to stave off a 4-3 defeat that sent Argentina packing.

The following year, after Messi heavily criticized the referees in the wake of a 2-0 loss to Brazil in the Copa America semifinals, the Argentine captain was slapped with a three-game ban by the South American Football Confederation.

Stats

As of August 2019, Messi's all-time highlights for FC Barcelona:

Appearances: 687

Goals: 603

Assists: 251

Shot accuracy: 48 percent

Chances created: 348

Messi has won FIFA's Player of the Year six times. He's also won the European Golden Shoe for top scorer six times, two more than his nearest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S LIONEL MESSI FACT CARD

Tax Fraud Scandal

In July 2016, Messi suffered a blow off the soccer field when a Barcelona court found him and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud. During a four-day trial, Messi and his father denied breaking the law and claimed they were unaware of any tax illegalities that were committed.

However, they were both sentenced to 21 months in prison. Under Spanish law, first offenses under two years are suspended so they did not go to jail, but Messi was ordered to pay a fine of 2 million euros. His father was required to pay 1.5 million euros.

Personal Life

On June 30, 2017, Messi married Antonella Roccuzzo, his longtime girlfriend and the cousin of his best friend and fellow soccer player Lucas Scaglia. Messi and Roccuzzo have three children together: Thiago, born in November 2012, Mateo, born in September 2015 and Ciro, born in March 2018.

Messi met Roccuzzo in their hometown of Rosario when he was 5 years old. Their marriage, a civil ceremony dubbed by Argentina's Clarín newspaper as the "wedding of the century," was held at a luxury hotel in Rosario, with a number of fellow star soccer players and Colombian pop star Shakira on the 260-person guest list.

Charity and UNICEF

Although famously private off the field, Messi has quietly helped others in need. In 2007, he formed the Leo Messi Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youths. In early 2010, UNICEF named him a goodwill ambassador, with a focus on fighting for children's rights across the globe.

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Luis Lionel Andres ("Leo") Messi is an Argentinian soccer player who plays forward for the FC Barcelona club and the Argentina national team. At the age of 13, Messi moved from Argentina to Spain after FC Barcelona agreed to pay for his medical treatments.

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Ronaldo is also an excellent dribbler, although this was more evident in years gone by when he would function as an out-and-out winger whose aim was to run at and terrorise defenders; a role which he absolutely excelled in.

More recently his game has adapted to more of a centre forward role, who expertly finishes moves rather than starts them. That is not to say he is not still capable of running at defenders and leaving them for dead; he most certainly is.

Ronaldo's dribbling could perhaps be summarised as explosive, whereas Messi's could maybe be described as more intricate.

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Messi vs Ronaldo - Goals, Stats for Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo

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Ronaldo is also an excellent dribbler, although this was more evident in years gone by when he would function as an out-and-out winger whose aim was to run at and terrorise defenders; a role which he absolutely excelled in. More recently his game has adapted to more of a centre forward role, who expertly finishes moves rather than starts them.

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https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lionel-Messi

This is a reliable source because it is made from britannica. A lot of reliable authors makes articles in britannica and the author, Jack Rollin, is a reliable author because he is a sports journalist. This source talks about who Messi initially is, his career and his achievements.

Who: Jack rollin
Why: To talk about who Messi is
When: ???

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https://www.sportszion.com/messi-better-than-ronaldo/

This source is reliable because it is from the website, sportszion, that talks about the news of sports, expert anaylsis, etc.
Who: Samarjit paul
Why: to talk about why messi is above ronaldo
When: June 28 2020

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https://www.statista.com/statistics/1008359/lionel-messi-trophy-titles/

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Cristiano Ronaldo has come a long way. European champion with club and country in 2016, fresh from signing a new contract with Real Madrid and winning the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time, life gets better and better for the 31-year-old forward.

But things were not always this good. Baby Cristiano was an unplanned child, the youngest in a humble family on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He was born on February 5, 1985 in Santo Antonio, a mountainous neighbourhood and one of the poorest communities of the capital Funchal.

The son of Dolores, a cook, and Dinis, a municipal gardener, the family's final addition was named Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro - the Ronaldo part chosen because of the then president of the United States, Ronald Reagan.

Football was a part of life for the young Cristiano. Father Dinis, an alcoholic who sadly passed away from liver disease in 2005, worked as a kitman at local club Andorinha and asked Fernao Barros Sousa, a player there who had earlier represented the island's biggest club, Nacional, if he would be Ronaldo's godfather.

"I became Cristiano Ronaldo's godfather because I played for Andorinha, where I met his father, Dinis, and so when Cristiano Ronaldo was born, he asked me if I would be the godfather at his baptism," Barros Sousa told Goal in Madeira.

"That day, Andorinha were playing in Ribera Brava, so I was going there, Dinis as well, and we arrived much later at the baptism, so late that the priest didn't want to baptise him! We had to convince the priest to baptise him and that's what happened. It's a funny thing, it was all ready to start and we weren't there. It wasn't good!"

Later, Ronaldo would accompany his father and when he was old enough, he himself ended up turning out for Andorinha's youth side.

"When he was little, he was just like other kids," Barros Sousa explained. "But he had something that was different from the others and that was that he played a lot of football. Even from a young age. When the other kids were studying, he put his studies on the back seat in order to play football.

"You could see it when his father was kitman with Andorinha. He had the bags with the footballs and Cristiano would be with his father, with a ball in hand and playing with the ball. He tried to dribble and obviously he copied the older players. He did that a lot."

Cristiano began to play for Andorinha, his first club, from the age of around eight, and even then, his talent was evident.

"We were eight, nine years old," former team-mate Ricardo Santos, now the coach of Andorinha, told Goal. "And at that time, Cristiano Ronaldo was already a great player.

"What I remember about him is that he was a humble kid. And when he didn't have the ball, he cried. When the team-mates fought, he cried. But he was already a good player. He was faster than average, he already scored a lot of goals and he had great dribbling skills."

"Cristiano really liked winning," Santos added. "When that didn't happen, Ronaldo cried. So much so that he had the nickname 'crybaby'."

Groundsman Rui, who was also at the club back then, remembers Ronaldo fondly and speaks proudly of the four-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"He was seven or eight when he first came here. He came with his father," he said. "It wasn't easy to get the ball off him. He was very small, but he was always playing football. He never stopped. He was always playing, at home as well."

Andorinha played mostly seven-a-side matches back then and Ricardo recalls one game in particular when Cristiano was forced off at half-time.

"I don't remember exactly how many he scored, but he was almost always our best scorer," Santos said. "I remember a game back then that we played in Camara de Lobos. We were winning 3-0, Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured and we lost 4-3."

And he added: "Ronaldo was called 'abelhinha' (little bee) because he was small and he was very quick, so we called him 'abelhinha'."

So the same man who had been godfather at Cristiano's christening back in 1985 also ended up playing a pivotal part in the youngster's career as a footballer.

"Here in Madeira his talent was known," Nacional's former youth coach, Pedro Talinhas, told Goal. "The scouts and the people working at the clubs considered him the best youngster in Madeira. He was still young at that time, but they could see he had something special.

"He arrived here at Nacional at the age of 10. He was a player who was very good technically, he was very good with both feet. He was small, but very technical. Many of the things you see in him today, in his goals, his objective was to score beautiful goals, we could see that then.

"He was fast, great at shooting, he was already powerful."

At Nacional, Ronaldo played seven-a-side and later 11-a-side, often competing against boys from the older teams due to his impressive talents.

"Ronaldo's second year here at Nacional, I was his coach," Talinhas said. "He was captain of the team, and even though he was a junior in his first year, many times he played against boys that were three years older than him - and often he stood out even then.

"You could see that he was a kid who had immense abilities, immense potential. If he worked, if he continued with that will, he could go on to achieve a lot. Could we see just how far he would go then? No. Just that he had immense ability and immense potential. With hard work and taking his opportunities, he could go up level by level."

And that is exactly what would happen. By then, Cristiano was the outstanding talent in Madeira. However, the island had never even produced a Portuguese international - let alone one of the finest footballers in the world. So it was hard to imagine at that time. It would not be long, though, before Ronaldo took another step forward.

Barros Sousa introduced Cristiano to local magistrate Joao Marques de Freitas, a socio of Sporting CP and a man with strong contacts at the Lisbon-based club.

"We met with the boy, but I had never seen him play football," he told Goal. "What happened? His godfather said that he was good, really good. I'm not a coach, but I called Aurelio Pereira (a Sporting scout), who has a great eye for spotting young players that go on to have great careers. I phoned him and I told him that we had a boy here that they say is very good.

"And he said to me: 'let's see if we can bring him over here'. I spoke to Dolores that same day and she said 'yes', so I made myself responsible for that. I bought a ticket from Funchal to Lisbon.

"He went on Saturday and three days later, Aurelio told me that the boy was really good. It was still the old Sporting stadium and he was so good that the professionals looked over to check the boy's skills."

Sporting were impressed and at the age of 12, Ronaldo moved to the Portuguese capital. All on his own. However, there were problems at first.

"It was very difficult for him to adapt in Lisbon because Madeirans have a pronunciation which is very different to Lisbon," De Freitas said. "He had problems at school, they laughed at him, and he resisted. At one point, he wanted to leave, but fortunately he stayed. He went through a bad time."

Indeed, at one point, Ronaldo returned to Funchal - sent by Sporting - because he was unhappy on the mainland. And that was almost the end of his dream to make it big as a footballer.

"In the second year, he came back to Madeira," Barros Sousa explained. "Sporting sent him over because they didn't want an unhappy player, they didn't want a player who had no desire to be there. So they sent him to Madeira.

"And at that time, I had to intervene and tell them that he had to go to Lisbon and play for Sporting, because he was the future of that family. And that is what happened. I could see he had a future as a football player, and I was convinced because in the first training session in Lisbon, the coach Osvaldo Silva, who is no longer with us, told me that he was a diamond. And that convinced me even more that he was in the right place."

So Ronaldo returned and he never looked back, settling on and off the pitch as he honed his skills in one of European football's finest academies.

"When I arrived, he was already used to being there," goalkeeper Christopher Almeida de Pilar told Goal. "He arrived at the age of 11, he had already made friends. He had his friends. I remember they would all go together to have lunch in a restaurant in Lisbon close to the Jose Alvalade stadium, they would all go together, they sat together and they lived together in the Sporting residence which was below the stadium. They were a family. I think he found it difficult at first, but I wasn't there at that time."

Pilar played with Cristiano in the youth teams at Sporting and also at junior level for Portugal - and he says Ronaldo's desire to improve set him apart from other players.

"I always thought that we had several quality players in the Sporting academy," he said. "But that Ronaldo was different because of all the work he put in - not so much during the training sessions, but after the sessions. He would always stay and practice for an extra half an hour on the areas he had most difficulties.

"When I arrived at the age of 13, he had an authority about him that was much greater than the rest of his team-mates. The way he trained, the way he motivated his team-mates, the way he corrected them, his will to win, his will to impress, was superior to all the others.

"We all wanted to play football and to please our parents. But not him - his dream was not only to please his family, but everyone who watched him."

After a sole season in Sporting's first team, Ronaldo took another step forward, this time signing for Manchester United following an impressive performance in a pre-season friendly against Sir Alex Ferguson's side in Lisbon.

De Freitas was pitchside for that match and said: "In the inauguration of the new Alvalade stadium, he played for Sporting against Manchester United. And in the first half, he put on a football show.

"Sporting won that game 3-1. He didn't score a goal but he gave them the run-around. So much so that at half-time, they shouted to him: 'Cristiano'. And three days later, he signed for Manchester United."

From his humble beginnings, Cristiano had made it by the age of 18 to one of the world's elite clubs and former team-mate Santos said: "From the moment he went to Manchester United, all the people began to see his real value. Since then, I think Ronaldo has surprised everyone."

And ex-coach Talinhas added: "To think that one day he would be the best player in the world, and two or three times, we couldn't have imagined that. He did have immense potential. But yes, we have all been surprised."

Barros Sousa still sees his godson on occasions and said: "From time to time I go to Madrid to see a Real Madrid match. For me it is a great satisfaction. It gives me great joy. Obviously, when he plays, I like to watch, I like to see him score goals. I like to see him winning titles, both individually and collectively - it gives me great pride."

De Freitas sees him too, the last time in July when Ronaldo returned to Funchal, and he said: "I like Cristiano a lot. He is a good person and a family man, he has never forgotten his family. And more than that, he has helped so many people here."

And Talinhas added: "I think we should be grateful to Cristiano Ronaldo because he is a worldwide figure, but he always has a special affection for his land, his island, for the place where he was born. We are very proud of him."

Ronaldo, of course, has now opened a museum and a hotel in Madeira, but up in the mountains at Andorinha, images of a young Cristiano continue to adorn the stadium fences - a constant reminder of the club's link to a player who went on to make it big beyond the Atlantic island, leaving his humble roots behind to become one of the finest footballers of all time.

"All of the kids playing here have the dream of Ronaldo," groundsman Rui said. "They want to be like him. All of them.

"But there won't be another Ronaldo here in Madeira. There's just this one, there won't be another."

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The 'little bee' who always cried - the story of young Ronaldo's path to greatness in Madeira

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Cristiano Ronaldo has come a long way. European champion with club and country in 2016, fresh from signing a new contract with Real Madrid and winning the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time, life gets better and better for the 31-year-old forward. But things were not always this good.

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https://www.sportszion.com/messi-better-than-ronaldo/

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https://yoursoccerhome.com/a-striker-in-soccer-the-complete-guide/

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Let's address the elephant in the room and talk about the greatest players in history, we start with Cristiano Ronaldo and why he is the best ever.

The debate about the greatest players in football history tends to be a very heated one these days, we think Cristiano Ronaldo should always be included.

The list is relatively short, we are talking about three or four players tops.

There aren't many names who deserve to be considered as the best ever, but we honestly believe that Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to be a part of the conversation.

This has pushed us to talk about the Top 5 reasons why we think the Portuguese forward at least deserves to be considered the best ever.

We encourage you to tell us who is your favorite player for this distinction in the comment section down below.

We also urge you to be civil with the rest of the people who are debating, let's be polite about this debate.

5.- His impressive numbers.

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, CR7 pa' nosotros sus cuates. Ha anotado su gol 601 a nivel clubes con un descomunal cabezazo... Miradle: pic.twitter.com/jCXzTlQ6l2

- Jaime García (@America_0215) May 3, 2019

There have been several historic players in football history who have scored incredible amounts of goals, but Cristiano Ronaldo has an impressive goal average.

It took him a few years to reach the numbers he delivers on a consistent basis during his career, but Ronaldo finally reached this level when he played at Real Madrid.

So far, the Portuguese forward has already scored a grand total of 686 goals in all competitions between club and country.

There is no reason to not think that he will reach 700 goals by next season and possibly reach 800 before the day he retires from competitive football.

4.- He is the most complete player in the modern era.

🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo ha marcado 601 goles en su carrera.

✈ 100 de ellos han sido de cabeza.

😲 pic.twitter.com/PZBhUiLON1

- William Hill ES (@WilliamHillES) May 4, 2019

People can keep talking about Lionel Messi's talent to dribble all they want but Ronaldo is the one who remains consistent in every aspect of the game.

The Juventus star has surpassed the 100-goal mark with his left foot, his right foot, and his head more recently.

Ronaldo is the greatest goal-scorer who ever lived because he simply has that ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

Ronaldo has a natural skill to always be in the right spot at the right time to get those goals, he also delivers many assists despite his obvious hunger.

Perhaps the only player who can be compared to Ronaldo in that aspect is Pele.

3.- His capacity to win everywhere he plays.

https://twitter.com/thebusybuddies/status/1119663302739681280

As one of the best players in history and nomad himself, Cristiano Ronaldo has always felt attracted by other countries.

The Portuguese forward started his professional career at Sporting Clube from Portugal, but he soon felt the need to leave.

The first destination was English football and he dominated the competition, he wanted something new after winning everything at Man United.

His next club was Real Madrid, this is where Cristiano Ronaldo truly became one of the all-time greats as he scored a staggering 450 goals in 438 matches played according to .

Now that he won everything in Spain, Ronaldo wanted something new and he moved to Juventus last summer.

Cristiano has already won the Italian Serie A and he is ready for another great challenge.

2.- The longevity factor.

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the fifth player in the history of Serie A to score 20 or more goals in a debut season . Just 34 years of age 😌 pic.twitter.com/ZlPVUUlnuN

- Classic Cristiano (@rishquez) April 27, 2019

Contrary to the regular number of players who usually retire from the elite at a certain age, Cristiano Ronaldo seems like he will keep playing until he is 40.

The Portuguese forward takes extra special care of his body.

This allows him to keep the same level of performance despite already being considered a veteran of the game.

Ronaldo doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, which is why we don't think that he will stop playing football at least for another five seasons.

We will have Cristiano for many more years to come because he wants to keep enlarging his legend.

1.- He rivalry with Messi.

Now, let's look at the stats.

1. Ronaldo has more career goals than Messi despite also playing in far tougher leagues than La Liga. Any player can play and shine in La Liga, but only a good player can survive in the EPL which Ronaldo successfully did. pic.twitter.com/Yp6rTMb28y

- CR7 Studio🇵🇹 (@cr7studio7) April 29, 2019

Perhaps if Cristiano Ronaldo was born in a different era, he may not have reached the level we know from him today.

Having Lionel Messi as his greatest rival throughout his career has been the biggest blessing Ronaldo ever got.

The Portuguese forward has made it a habit of improving himself year after year because he knows Messi will always be there to surpass him.

The first years of their rivalry were very difficult for Ronaldo, but the last five seasons have been a gift.

Cristiano has won four out of the last six Ballon d'Or trophies and the same number of Champions League trophies.

Messi might have taken the upper hand this season over him, but this will only motivate Ronaldo to return in a better form next season.

Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player ever or who deserves that distinction? Please share your opinion in the comment section down below.

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Top 5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo is the best ever - ronaldo.com

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The debate about the greatest players in football history tends to be a very heated one these days, we think Cristiano Ronaldo should always be included. The list is relatively short, we are talking about three or four players tops.

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This statistic shows the achievements of FC Barcelona player Lionel Messi.

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https://bleacherreport.com/articles/772843-lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-analysing-whos-better-in-20-categories

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https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2746059-lionel-messi-unsure-if-he-and-cristiano-ronaldo-could-be-good-friends

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FC Barcelona Brian Canever @briancanever Correspondent I

In football, there have been few truly magnificent players.

Players like Alfredo di Stefano and Pelé, who captivated the world with their unbelievable goalscoring ability in the early days of professional football were followed by others with a similarly unique quality such as Diego Maradona and Johann Cruyff.

There have been numerous others who at specific points were referred to as the best players of their generation. However, following the reign of Ronaldinho, there have only been two players as unquestionably skillful and captivating as the previous greats.

Lionel Messi, the only man to win three back-to-back World Player of the Year awards, has at only 25 years old accomplished more with FC Barcelona, the Argentina U-20 and Olympic teams, and as an individual goalscorer than almost every player who came before him.

The following list are the top five qualities that the diminutive Argentina possesses which have made him the most successful and accomplished athlete of the past five years.

Messi may not appear to be the fastest player on the pitch at times.

In fact, his lethargic style when running off the ball makes him look quite slow when compared to fearsome sprinters like Cristiano Ronaldo and Theo Walcott.

However, the little Argentine's speed with the ball is probably unparalleled in the game.

As evidenced in this blazing run against Nigeria, Messi keeps phenomenal close control of the ball as he blasts through numerous defenders before taking a shot which ricochets to Angel di Maria for the Argentine's second goal of the afternoon.

Although the Barcelona playmaker usually only illustrates his pace when he is on the ball looking to take on defenders, he is equally quick when spotting an oncoming pass and running onto it within the 18-yard box.

Unfortunately for most Argentine football fans, the country has a terrible reputation for producing attacking players that will all too easily hit the ground when lightly fouled by an opponent.

Messi is as far from the typical mold as possible. In fact, considering his short stature and vulnerability, he probably hits the ground less than any other forward in professional football.

One of the qualities that makes la Pulga so irresistible to watch is that he loves the ball so much he will scarcely let go of it or allow anyone to take it from him without a desperate chase to regain possession.

As evidenced when playing Real Madrid and other sides that try to break him down with their physicality, the playmaker is also incredibly unwilling to go down after a challenge if he can stay on his feet.

In this video, Messi is almost stripped off possession, but battles back to win the ball and storm through a field of diving Real Zaragoza defenders en route to goal. The play itself is good enough to watch over and over again on repeat.

Much like his speed, Messi's agility is best on display when on a magical run through a maze of onrushing defenders.

The diminutive number 10's low center of gravity and fantastic control of the ball allow him to turn his waist in the speediest of motions to deceive opponents attempting to strip the ball from him.

In this famous replica of Diego Maradona's "Goal of the Century", Messi takes off from his own half and slips by a half-dozen Getafe defenders with last-second cuts that leave them striking out at nothing.

Messi's fantastic ability to wait until the very last moment to elude opposing defenders has been so frustrating that USA national team centre-back Jay DeMerit tweeted after a friendly in 2011, "Chasing Messi around feels like when you're 12 yrs old playing football with your 16 yr old brother and his buddies."

He may not have the flashiness of tricksters like Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic, but his stunning simplicity is similarly menacing.

As will be mentioned in the final slide, Messi is special for his ability to not only score goals, but also find his teammates with impossible passes to create goalscoring opportunities.

That single quality is what separates him from any other player in the world right now.

Not only has Messi broken scoring records, but he continues to provide more than any other forward in Europe with 18 and 16 assists in the past two league campaigns for Barcelona, respectively.

In this compilation, the Argentine's remarkable vision and combination play is evidenced by the huge amount of assists he has collected for his club. While the quality of the video may not be the best, it is obvious that Messi's passing ability on such a grand scale is one of a kind.

Perhaps more than any other of his numerous qualities, Messi is unique for his blend of intelligence and perceptiveness as both a creator and scorer of goals.

The little Argentine's decision-making between passing and shooting is especially clear in cases of an onrushing goalkeeper.

In the 2007 Copa America against Mexico, the 25-year-old star scored this magnificent chipped effort after receiving a pass from Juan Roman Riquelme in loads of space.

Like his countless chipped or volleyed goals, Messi times the shot perfectly and gets it high enough above Oswaldo Sanchez for the ball to land cooly into the corner of the net.

When most forwards would have simply shot low and straight at the keeper, la Pulga manages exactly the type of finish that has and will continue to dazzle audiences around the world for years to come.

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Lionel Messi: 5 Qualities That Make Him the World's Greatest Footballer

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FC Barcelona Brian Canever @briancanever Twitter Logo Correspondent I In football, there have been few truly magnificent players. Players like Alfredo di Stefano and Pelé, who captivated the world with their unbelievable goalscoring ability in the early days of professional football were followed by others with a similarly unique quality such as Diego Maradona and Johann Cruyff.

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https://www.sportszion.com/8-reasons-why-ronaldo-is-better-than-messi/

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https://www.sportbible.com/football/rivalries-a-supercomputer-ended-the-lionel-messi-or-cristiano-ronaldo-debate-20191224#:~:text=Messi%20ended%20with%20Valuing%20Actions,scoring%20just%200.61%20per%20game.&text=Tom%20Decroos%2C%20a%20PhD%20student,very%20close%20to%20each%20other.