Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo? The discussion was always absurd


As everyone searched for words, Lionel Scaloni reiterated that Lionel Messi simply cannot be explained, and the cheers spoke volumes. And there were two. One was for breaking the World Cup goals record with a brilliant finish for his 17th goal. The next one was for breaking through and taking this 2-0 victory over Austria to a glorious climax with a typically divine first touch and tireless sprint. As Messi took the record to 18, the Dallas Cowboys stadium sounded like the Bombonera, so many fans had made the trip just to witness...greatness. Is that even the right word anymore? Even by his standards, this is becoming absurd. To think that the 2022 World Cup was marked by tension over whether each match would be his last in the competition, whether he would ever fulfill this great quest. To think that this biggest tournament used to mean only pain and disappointment for Messi. He has admitted that he used to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the 2014 final loss. Now he is fulfilling every dream, every expectation of all that young talent. Messi is not only the player with the most World Cup appearances, but now also the all-time top scorer, and he could end up with a third golden ball, a first golden boot and maybe - just maybe - a second winner's medal. In two games in the United States, he has already equaled previous record holder Miroslav Klose's five-goal record, which he claimed for his golden boot in 2006, and Thomas Müller did so in 2010. And that's with a group match against Jordan still to come. Are we perhaps looking at Just Fontaine's only tournament record of 13 goals? It's anything but unthinkable, especially if he has eight after the group stage. Even without that, his existing record is already a level above what could have been imagined when he ran through Serbia and Montenegro for that first World Cup goal 20 years ago. It has even gotten to the point where his World Cup legacy may now be greater than Barcelona's. He stands alone, in so many ways. If the discussion with Cristiano Ronaldo was always absurd, given that there never really was a discussion, Messi ensures that it was just an accident of history. However, the contrast says something different. Messi remains at an incredibly good level just two days shy of his 39th birthday, while Ronaldo looks like the 41-year-old he is. That's not to criticize the Portuguese, as he is a 41-year-old. It just emphasizes how extraordinary Messi is. While Ronaldo now struggles to perform even basic skills, Messi still seems to effortlessly do things that few in history could. It shows how he was always the purer, better footballer, and perhaps the purest footballer of all time. Diego Maradona and Pele always had those World Cup legacies, but Messi's is now in danger of becoming bigger. Of course, this also reminds us of how he is the ultimate product of the modern era, as well as someone who is truly unique. We don't need the argumentsrepeating how Messi has enjoyed multiple advantages in his time, in ways that Maradona and previous legends did not. It is also still true that he worked hard. From 2014, after he had so many physical problems at that World Cup, he started to take better care of his body. He came much closer to Ronaldo in that respect, although he will never reach such absurd levels. And that's the great thing. He now moves and plays like he did 10 years ago. It may be more staccato and of more limited overall performance, but the release is still breathtaking. The second goal against Austria showed that. It also highlighted how much of Argentina still revolves around him. This is a relatively mediocre and even boring team outside of their legend. There were periods in this match where they looked very uncomfortable with the Austrian pressure. Superior teams may be able to take advantage of that tough nature and ensure that Messi cannot have the same impact. But that's just a question for now, amid some doubts. There is no doubt about Messi himself, or even a discussion about his status. And there can be more to come.

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