Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal are dubbed as two best football players in the world currently; both are playing in Spain, Messi for Barcelona and Ronaldo for Real Madrid. Both are doing extremely well for their respective clubs but when playing for their nations both perform much lower than the spectators expectations. Messi and Ronaldo are hailed in Spain and elsewhere in the world as the two best footballers of the world when they are playing for their clubs. Since this is the opinion of the world on these two players why both of them cannot perform for their nations the performance of their clubs? People feel that they are purposely not exerting all their efforts when playing for their nations because their nations are not paying them what their clubs are paying them.
According to me Messi and Ronaldo are players of club level where they both are like one eyed men among the blinds and as such they cannot rise to the occasions. It is not that they are purposely underperforming when they play for their nations but while playing for their nations their moves and play are checked and controlled by the top opponents and defenders of which type they do not encounter when they play at club level. World Cup, Euro Cup and Copa America are top tournaments where every player participating in these tournaments is playing for his national team. For these tournaments only the best players from the participating nations are selected. The level of game while playing for one’s national team is much higher than that of the club level. Every player of national level representing his nation is the best while at club level it is not so. Every player of Barcelona and Real Madrid is not a national player but every player of Spain is the representative of his top club.
In the recently concluded Euro Cup 2012 Ronaldo in the Portuguese national team was a big flop in the first two qualifying matches but later on he gained a little momentum but never to equate him with the best in the world. Lionel Messi in the last World Cup in South Africa while representing his national team Argentina never reached to his expected zenith and he also failed to come to the expected level turning a flop too.
The best players in the world play best soccer anywhere in the world and at any level, whether club level or national level. A best player is the one who always perform best of soccer in any condition. A really best player is capable of winning the match single handedly with his singular performance and solo efforts.
70 Years back Argentinian Alfredo Di Stefano and Hungarian Ferenc Puskas, 50 years back Portuguese Eusebio and Brazilian Pele, 40 years back West German Franz Backeneur and Gerd Mueller, 30 years back West German Karl Heinz Rumenige, Italian Paulo Rossi, Argentinian Diego Armando Maradona and 10 years back French Zidane according to my assessment were really world best and they could single handedly win their matches against top teams. While on the field they were not only playing their game but also making their colleagues to play as well by distributing and feeding the ball clearly and cleverly to them.
Currently Ronaldo and Messi are both very good players no doubt but they only play their game and have to be played by others, they both do not make others play as the above mentioned players did during their hey days. In the absence of stiff competition and also in the absence of highly talented and skilful players in the world now both Ronaldo and Messi are creating ripples. Otherwise neither of them is nearer to the above named oldies. In view of this, people should not expect from them stars from the sky, they have their own capacity and accordingly they perform. Currently what they display is all what they can.
Finally let me tell to all those soccer experts who equate both Ronaldo and Messi to the great Pele and Maradona to just shut their mouth. Pele and Maradona are incomparable to any of the best before and after them, they are both unique, they both are a gift of God to the football world. Between the two, Pele stands taller than Maradona. And between Ronaldo and Messi, the former stands higher than the latter especially in the air and sprinting with the ball.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
