The 2014 2015 La Liga is over, and this year's UEFA Champions League is wrapping up. For all intents and purposes, the club football world is about to take a hiatus, and what better way to celebrate that hiatus than by comparing notes for two of soccer's biggest stars? Barcelona's Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, both had hugely successful seasons in 2014 2015, with the former leading his club to a La Liga title and the latter becoming the league's top scorer for the second soccer season in a row. Which star was more valuable to his team? Read on to find out!
Lionel MessiÂ
If we're going simply on the virtues of club successes, there's little doubt that Messi was this year's most
well rounded player, in the La Liga or anywhere else. He netted 43 goals just in domestic league play-a tally that not only would have won him the La Liga top scorer title last season, but one that would also make him the best offensive player in any other football league on the planet.
Fans in the Lionel Messi 10 Barca home kit 2014 2015 had more to be excited about this year than just goals, though. Indeed, Messi also led Barcelona back to the top of the La Liga and helped the football club secure berths in the finals of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
Furthermore, Lionel wasn't just important as a leading
offensive player, but as a leader, period. Messi might be considered as "third captain" for the Barca squad (behind Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta), but he is the football club's leader and symbol in a lot of ways.
This year, he helped unite the most unstoppable frontline in all of professional soccer, along with Neymar and Luis Suarez. Looking at the 2014 2015 La Liga assists list (which Lionel tops, with 18) proves that the Argentine star was a real team player in 2014 2015, in addition to being a clear standout. That's the kind of balance that earns someone a player of the year award.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Not that anyone would be wrong in arguing that Ronaldo was this year's best player. With 48 goals in the
La Liga, Ronaldo was easily the season's top goalscorer. In fact, that tally makes 2014 2015 Ronaldo's best season yet. His previous record, from 2011 2012, was 46 goals in a domestic league season. 48 puts him second all-time, behind Messi's 2011 2012 run, which saw a final tally of 50 goals.
Some will undoubtedly ask how someone could score 48 goals in a single season and not be the player of the year. Ronaldo's assist tally (16) isn't much lower than Messi's either, which improves his case.
Where fans in the Ronaldo 7 Real Madrid shirt 2014 2015 might lose the argument, though, is in overall club success. Real Madrid had a great season, finishing in second
place in the La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana, and playing strong football in a number of other competitions and tournaments. However, they also suffered earlier-than-anticipated exits from the Champions League (the semifinals) and the Copa del Rey (the round of 16), meaning that Cristiano won't pick up as many superlatives for the 2014 2015 season as Lionel Messi will.
To be fair, Messi has the better team at his back. Barca goalkeeper Claudio Bravo had 23 clean sheets, more than anyone else in the La Liga. (Real's Iker Casillas only had 12.) Neymar was in third place on the scorers list, with 22 points to his name, while Suarez was back at seventh with 16. Madrid's second best offensive player for the year, Karim Benzema, only scored 15. In other words, Messi had more help than Ronaldo did.
Verdict
So Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo who's the better player of these two living legends? Does Ronaldo take the title for being a goalscoring machine the likes of which the world has rarely seen? Or does Messi win points for the leadership necessary to inspire a soccer team to the level at which Barcelona played throughout 2014 2015?
Ultimately? It's a wash. Both of these guys are at the peak of their powers, and they're both pushing each other to be better. Which actually is better will depend on where your loyalties lie.
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Lionel MessiÂ
If we're going simply on the virtues of club successes, there's little doubt that Messi was this year's most
well rounded player, in the La Liga or anywhere else. He netted 43 goals just in domestic league play-a tally that not only would have won him the La Liga top scorer title last season, but one that would also make him the best offensive player in any other football league on the planet.
Fans in the Lionel Messi 10 Barca home kit 2014 2015 had more to be excited about this year than just goals, though. Indeed, Messi also led Barcelona back to the top of the La Liga and helped the football club secure berths in the finals of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
Furthermore, Lionel wasn't just important as a leading
offensive player, but as a leader, period. Messi might be considered as "third captain" for the Barca squad (behind Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta), but he is the football club's leader and symbol in a lot of ways.
This year, he helped unite the most unstoppable frontline in all of professional soccer, along with Neymar and Luis Suarez. Looking at the 2014 2015 La Liga assists list (which Lionel tops, with 18) proves that the Argentine star was a real team player in 2014 2015, in addition to being a clear standout. That's the kind of balance that earns someone a player of the year award.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Not that anyone would be wrong in arguing that Ronaldo was this year's best player. With 48 goals in the
La Liga, Ronaldo was easily the season's top goalscorer. In fact, that tally makes 2014 2015 Ronaldo's best season yet. His previous record, from 2011 2012, was 46 goals in a domestic league season. 48 puts him second all-time, behind Messi's 2011 2012 run, which saw a final tally of 50 goals.
Some will undoubtedly ask how someone could score 48 goals in a single season and not be the player of the year. Ronaldo's assist tally (16) isn't much lower than Messi's either, which improves his case.
Where fans in the Ronaldo 7 Real Madrid shirt 2014 2015 might lose the argument, though, is in overall club success. Real Madrid had a great season, finishing in second
place in the La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana, and playing strong football in a number of other competitions and tournaments. However, they also suffered earlier-than-anticipated exits from the Champions League (the semifinals) and the Copa del Rey (the round of 16), meaning that Cristiano won't pick up as many superlatives for the 2014 2015 season as Lionel Messi will.
To be fair, Messi has the better team at his back. Barca goalkeeper Claudio Bravo had 23 clean sheets, more than anyone else in the La Liga. (Real's Iker Casillas only had 12.) Neymar was in third place on the scorers list, with 22 points to his name, while Suarez was back at seventh with 16. Madrid's second best offensive player for the year, Karim Benzema, only scored 15. In other words, Messi had more help than Ronaldo did.
Verdict
So Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo who's the better player of these two living legends? Does Ronaldo take the title for being a goalscoring machine the likes of which the world has rarely seen? Or does Messi win points for the leadership necessary to inspire a soccer team to the level at which Barcelona played throughout 2014 2015?
Ultimately? It's a wash. Both of these guys are at the peak of their powers, and they're both pushing each other to be better. Which actually is better will depend on where your loyalties lie.
Follow @soccerboxcom
