Messi v Ronaldo: A rivalry that has dominated for two decades
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- Pelé mistakenly gave the second‑place trophy to Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2007 FIFA Player of the Year ceremony, prompting Sepp Blatter to order a swap with Lionel Messi.
- Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have together captured 20 of the 29 European player‑of‑the‑year awards since 2007.
- Ronaldo's career with Messi totals nearly 2,000 goals and 85 club and country trophies.
- Rio Ferdinand says Ronaldo is the greatest, while Xavi argues Messi is the best ever, showing split expert views.
- Guillem Balague describes Messi as the best player in history and Ronaldo as the greatest goalscorer, highlighting the nuanced debate.
Why it matters: Fans and broadcasters gain heightened engagement globally as the Messi‑Ronaldo rivalry drives viewership and debate, while rival players lose spotlight amid the duo’s dominance significantly.
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