It is a common misconception that elephants spend their last days, prior to their illustrious lives of grandeur and strength, at a designated spot. Even though it’s untrue, it makes sense in light of the recent choices made by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of The Beautiful Game’s dominant players over the past ten or more years.
The Cristiano and Messi phenomenon
Over time, the world witnessed the fierce competition between these two athletes, particularly in La Liga between Real Madrid and Barcelona. They fulfilled every dream possible at the club level, leading their teams to victory and, most importantly, their national teams to major titles.
Furthermore, the aggregate number of their individual achievements bears witness to their unmatched supremacy in the most popular sport in the globe for a prolonged duration. A prime example of this can be seen in the Ballon d’Or honors, where Messi has won a record seven, while Cristiano has won five.
We will remember the Portuguese celebrity as being the one who started the “movement.” His decision to join Saudi team Al-Nassr in January after leaving Manchester United—a Premier League team that was, to be honest, hardly trying to keep him—was the first major victory for the aspirational new player in the world. Eye-watering discounts were made this summer in an attempt to draw more renowned names to the Arab country.
Argentina’s number 10 is among the few players who can match Cristiano’s celebrity, and there were rumors that he too would have the chance to rekindle their fierce rivalry from their time together in Spain in an even hotter environment. Messi, however, made the decision to move across the Atlantic, giving up Paris for Miami, despite he still had a very rich deal available.
How did Messi and Ronaldo fare in the 2023 campaign?
There is obviously a need for cautions at this early point, even though there is a genuine interest in contrasting these two legends in their twilight trip. First of all, the two leagues are not the same, and at least not yet, different measurement instruments are unable to provide a meaningful assessment of Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. Furthermore, as of this writing, Messi has only appeared in two Major League Soccer matches; the rest of his appearances have been in cup competitions.
Even though our comparison target is almost useless, let’s nonetheless move forward with it.
Since leaving the game in the Old Continent, the iconic ‘10′ and ‘7′ continue to amaze their local fans and those from much further afield. In their new teams at the start of the 2023-24 season, they are already proving to be the definitive leaders of each project in Saudi Arabia and the United States, although reinforcements have followed them both.
¡Qué arranque de temporada tuvieron estos dos! 🇦🇷🆚🇵🇹¿Quién tendrá mejores números al final de la temporada 2023/24? 👇 pic.twitter.com/OtjvZKqtUg
— Sofascore Latin America (@SofascoreLA) August 31, 2023
Ronaldo and Messi on a par
As of the start of the current campaign, each had participated in ten games throughout all competitions in which their teams have competed, and astonishingly, they had each contributed three assists and scored eleven goals apiece. Each of these 14 efforts has helped their team win a championship, with the Riyadh team taking home the Arab Club Championship and the Herons winning the Leagues Cup.
The Argentine’s mission to get the Miami team into the 2023 MLS Playoffs—an incredible feat considering the team’s basement position upon his arrival—and win the US Open Cup—they’re in the final—undoubtedly reflects the two legends’ unwavering desire to achieve great goals. Getting all that Al-Nassr wants—the Saudi Pro League, the AFC Champions League, and the King’s Cup of Champions—must be the Portuguese’s ultimate objective.
