Messi versus Ronaldo: the shy man against the showman (Feature)

By Duncan Shaw Feb 7, 2011, 11:50 GMT

Madrid - Partly because the battle for the Spanish league title is practically over, the fight for the top scorer trophy between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is receiving massive attention.

Practically all Spaniards, even most diehard Real Madrid fans, expect Barca to win their third successive Liga title. Pep Guardiola's sumptuous side are seven points ahead of Real atop La Liga, playing exceedingly well and scoring goals at will.

Even Real coach Jose Mourinho said on Sunday, with an air of resignation, that 'if we finish second, then nothing happens.'

Because the league title is practically a foregone conclusion - even though Barca do have to visit Real's Estadio Bernabeu on April 16 - media interest has turned to the battle between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The two idols have been fighting for the label of the world's best player for three years now. Ronaldo picked up the FIFA World Player award in 2008 after helping Manchester United to win the Champions League.

But in the past two seasons the award has gone to Messi, to the chagrin of the Portuguese striker.

Messi, 23, and Ronaldo, 26, are different in every way. The Argentine is quiet and understated, never comfortable with a microphone, always preferring to let his sublime left foot do the talking instead of his mouth. He is a team man through and through, just as happy to set up a goal for a team-mate as to score himself.

Ronaldo, in contrast, is happy to be the centre of attention, either because of his spectacular goals or his high-profile personal life. In many ways he is a more complete player than Messi, but he is often criticized for being arrogant and provocative.

For example, last week Osasuna players Walter Pandiani and Javier Camunas were scathing in their attacks on Ronaldo after Real lost 1-0 against modest Osasuna. Messi, on the other hand, has always been praised for his good manners and humility.

The shy man against the showman, therefore.

On Saturday Messi banged in a handsome hat-trick in Barca's 3-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid. On Sunday Ronaldo, determined not to let Messi get ahead of him in the scorers' chart, returned to form after four games without scoring and put away two in the 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad.

After the game, Real's general director Jorge Valdano - who is locked in a bitter feud with Mourinho - said he would not 'change Ronaldo for anyone', in an obvious reference to Messi.

The two strikers are now level on 24 goals. Or are they?

According to the Spanish football federation and to practically every newspaper and website - including that of Real Madrid - Ronaldo has scored 24. However, sports daily Marca controversially claims that he really has 25 and is therefore above Messi.

Marca bizarrely decided to accredit Real's winning goal in the September 18 2-1 win away to Real Sociedad to Ronaldo whereas every other paper, and the Spanish federation, gave it to defender Pepe, who heavily deflected Ronaldo's free-kick into the net.

Marca is the paper most enthusiastic about Ronaldo's talents - and the paper least critical of his manner.

Whereas other papers, and even the Catholic church, were critical of Real president Florentino Perez breaking the world transfer record to buy Ronaldo from United for 94 million euros (127.68 million dollars) in 2009, with Spain moving into a profound economic recession, Marca was very positive about the deal.

An online poll taken by Marca showed, on Monday, 50.6 per cent of readers believing that Messi will finish the season as top scorer, with 49.4 per cent opting for Ronaldo.

Last season Messi finished as top scorer with 34 goals, Ronaldo - partly due to injury - finished with 26. Will Messi be able to keep Ronaldo ahead of Ronaldo again this time?

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