Isa Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 He still plays for Portugal though who are considered to be a heavyweight in international football. It's not like he plays for Wales or Northern Ireland. Are they? I don't consider a nation that in the last decade or so has given the likes of Hélder Postiga, Hugo Almeida and Nani a combined 210 caps to be anything of the sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Portugal now are probably like Scotland were in the 70s and 80s. They are a competent side with some very good players but to suggest that they are footballing heavyweights is ludicrous. They didn't qualify for anything for about 30 years before France 98! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 If Portugal are 'heavyweights' then they are an Andrew Golota or a Jerry Quarry, talented, but never do it on the big stage against the top opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 25 goals in 14 games in the league this season. Not. Bad. At. All. On course for just the 67 league goals then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Always preferred messi but currently it's very hard to argue beyond ronaldo who has continued to improve. Messi seems to be over his injury problems and getting comfortable with neymar and Suarez so the next few months could be interesting between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ronaldo by a mile and its no coincidence and Ive always believed to be the that the declining form of Iniesta and Xavi has played a part in Messi not looking as good anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ronaldo at the moment.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post The_Rev Posted December 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ronaldo by a mile and its no coincidence and Ive always believed to be the that the declining form of Iniesta and Xavi has played a part in Messi not looking as good anymore He's scored three hat tricks in his last six games! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Messi not looking as good anymore I rather like the polka dot suits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ronaldo blowing out Platini at the Club World Cup. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I find it interesting that people are quick to attribute a lot of Messi's success to Xavi, Iniesta etc, but fail to do the same for Ronaldo, whose current form has, it would seem, nothing to do with being surrounded by the most expensive team ever assembled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I find it interesting that people are quick to attribute a lot of Messi's success to Xavi, Iniesta etc, but fail to do the same for Ronaldo, whose current form has, it would seem, nothing to do with being surrounded by the most expensive team ever assembled. Because Ronlado has done it in very different teams? Most minutes in midfield: 09-10 Madrid - Alonso, Kaka', Diarra 09-10 Barca - Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta 10-11 Madrid - Khedira, Alonso, Ozil 10-11 Barca - Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets 11-12 Madrid - Alonso, Ozil, Khedira 11-12 Barca - Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas 12-13 Madrid - Alonso, Ozil, Modric 12-13 Barca - Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets 13-14 Madrid - Modric, Di Maria, Isco 13-14 Barca - Busquets, Fabregas, Xavi 14-15 Madrid - Kroos, Rodriguez, Modric 14-15 Barca - Busquets, Rakatic, Xavi Messi mostly has the same players behind him and when that changes - Internationally - his performances drop. Ronaldo has had a mix of players with changes almost every year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) The point is both players have benefited from being surrounded by high quality players. Messi had an advantage of having grown up with those players, Ronaldo had the advantage of being surrounded by expensive and incredibly talented players at both Manure and Madrid. The insinuation that Ronaldo is somehow above teams, that he does it all on his own, is nonsense. Edited December 21, 2014 by CarewsEyebrowDesigner 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ronaldo scored 40+ goals with players like Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves in the side who're all average (and that's being kind to Anderson and Hargreaves). Ronaldo has also played with a bunch of different players at Madrid (Diarra and Kaka' were far from World class) and scores every tournament he plays in for Portugal, including crucial goals. Messi has always played with the same players. He's scored 1 KO stage goal in an International tournament, ever. This is despite him playing in a regional tournament of only 2 good teams, where the 1 doesn't care. The players behind him have played with different players in front of them at Spain and won everything there is to win. Nobody is saying Ronaldo does it on his own and Messi doesn't. It's that Ronaldo has done it in different teams with many different players. Messi hasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ronaldo blowing out Platini at the Club World Cup. This is funny! There is a similar clip after the CL final where Ronaldo spots SAF and seems genuinely delighted to see him. Was great to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ronaldo blowing out Platini at the Club World Cup. This is funny! There is a similar clip after the CL final where Ronaldo spots SAF and seems genuinely delighted to see him. Was great to see. https://vine.co/v/MYeK9HPiXqz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 That consistency of the world class midfield behind him vs the constant **** about with his role in a front 3 that shoe horns in another billy big bollocks world class player along side him It's a stupid argument trying to say one of them is better than the other because of the players around him, they both have world class players around them in different positions, I don't see the point in comparing stats either because both of them are ridiculous, if you want to start saying who scored what goal at what stage of what competition by that reckoning at a guess neither of them would touch gerd muller Messi was, now Ronaldo is, I personally rate messi higher because I think Ronaldo is petulant and can be greedier, but at the same time I think messi will walk away at about 32 whilst Ronaldo could play till his mid 40s and break every record going Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ronaldo scored 40+ goals with players like Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves in the side who're all average (and that's being kind to Anderson and Hargreaves). Ronaldo has also played with a bunch of different players at Madrid (Diarra and Kaka' were far from World class) and scores every tournament he plays in for Portugal, including crucial goals. Messi has always played with the same players. He's scored 1 KO stage goal in an International tournament, ever. This is despite him playing in a regional tournament of only 2 good teams, where the 1 doesn't care. The players behind him have played with different players in front of them at Spain and won everything there is to win. Nobody is saying Ronaldo does it on his own and Messi doesn't. It's that Ronaldo has done it in different teams with many different players. Messi hasn't. Hargreaves was injured most of the time when he was at united. He only played 27 games for them. He had great players like Giggs and Scholes around him at united. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Ronaldo's best season, when he scored 40+ goals, at United saw Hargreaves play 23 league games, Nani 26 league games and Anderson 24 league games. They're all shit and were clearly a big part of the season. (Scholes played 24). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I have a feeling we will be debating this one long after they've both retired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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