Thread by @xthfcotto, Why Lionel Messi is UNDOUBTEDLY better than Cristiano Ronaldo and why he [...]

Why Lionel Messi is UNDOUBTEDLY better than Cristiano Ronaldo and why he is the greatest footballer of all time

THE thread:

Firstly, let's compare their career stats:

Mins per G/A:

Messi - 71
Ronaldo - 86

Unreal number

Goalscoring: Ronaldo is known as one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, so it might suprise you how much better Messi's goalscoring stats really are

Mins per goal in different competitions:

UCL:
Messi - 103
Ronaldo - 114

League:
Messi - 89
Ronaldo - 102

Cups:
Messi - 113
Ronaldo - 146

Most goals in a calendar year:

Messi - 91
Ronaldo - 69

Most goals in a season:

Messi - 73
Ronaldo - 61

Messi holds the all time record for both

No caption needed

Most consecutive games scored in:

Ronaldo - 11
Messi - 21

Messi holds the all time record ahead of Gerd Müller (16)

Since 2014/15 Messi has outperformed his xG by 33,57 goals compared to Ronaldos 7,77.

Keep in mind that Ronaldos best goalscoring seasons was 2013/14 and 2014/15 while Messi's best seasons was undoubtedly 2010/11 to 2012/13

Yet Messi has still outperformed Ronaldo by far

Still don't believe Messi is the better goalscorer?

Shots per goal (career stats):

Messi - 5,08
Ronaldo - 6,41

Clinical

Playmaking: On top of arguably being the best goalscorer ever Messi is without a doubt the best ever playmaker. No one in their right mind would claim that Ronaldo is a better playmaker than Messi, but let's have a quick look at the stats anyway

Career stats:

Throughballs (League + CL)

Messi - 380
Ronaldo - 80

Key passes (League + CL)

Messi - 1149
Ronaldo - 831

Successful dribbles (League + CL)

Messi - 2789
Ronaldo - 1768

Incredible numbers considering Ronaldo has just over 11.500 more minutes played in his career

Messis playmaking awards:

IFFHS World's Best Playmaker x4
IFFHS World's Best Playmaker of the Decade

Let's take a look at Messi and Ronaldos big game stats:

Messi vs Ronaldo in the biggest game of them all

Mins per goal contribution vs the best teams:

Against top 3 teams in the league:

Messi - 82
Ronaldo - 140

Against top 4 teams in the league:

Messi - 81
Ronaldo - 126

How about the biggest stage?
Champions League stats:

Mins per goal:

Messi - 79
Ronaldo - 87

Mins per goal contribution:

Messi - 103
Ronaldo - 113

Messi and Ronaldo in games vs each other:

Mins per goal contribution (all games):

Messi - 92
Ronaldo - 137

Mins per goal contribution (finals):

Messi - 73
Ronaldo - 119

"Messi has never done it at international level" Let's take a look at that then

Mins per goal contribution:

All time:
Messi - 103
Ronaldo - 102

Copa America/Euros:
Messi - 108
Ronaldo - 128

World Cup:
Messi - 148
Ronaldo - 164

Average FIFA ranking of Messi and Ronaldos 5 favourite opponents in terms of goalscoring:

Messi - 43,2
Ronaldo - 101,2

Okay but he definitely couldn't have done it in the Premier League right?

Wrong. Messi has more goals vs PL top 6 sides than Ronaldo despite never playing in the league.

But you're telling me Hull City and Swansea would've stopped him when the best of the best couldn't.