Messi or Ronaldo. That age old argument. Usually we sit firmly on the fence and enjoy watching two of the greatest players of our generation, but we're sticking our necks on the line here by saying Lionel Messi will have a better World Cup than Cristiano Ronaldo. And here's why...
South Americans do well in, well South America – It's a much lauded fact that the South American sides and players tend to do better in the heat and climate when a tournament is held in their neck of the woods. Ronaldo may have a tan befitting of a rather warm country but he is not as acclimatised to the heat as Messi. Only time will tell if this will make a difference.
More to Prove – Messi not only lost his crown as the best player in the world, but has also seen the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League trophies sail out of his grasp. More than that, Messi has even come in for some criticism this season and will want to shut those doubters up once and for all.
He wants his Ballon d'Or back - Clearly a good international display affects the individual awards. Had Ronaldo dragged Portugal to Brazil, he may well have missed out on the Ballon d’Or again. That play-off game against Sweden won it for him and Messi will know that if he wants to get his crown back, a starring role in Argentina’s World Cup campaign is vital.
Better Supporting Cast – Ronaldo carried Portugal to the World Cup finals. Argentina have stars such as Sergio Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain, Palacio and Lavezzi all looking to serve up goals on a plate to Messi. If Ronaldo doesn't perform, Portugal are on the first flight home.
Likely to stay longer - The further you go in a competition, the more chance you have to do well. Stating the obvious maybe, but with Portugal in a tough group – again – they may not have enough to get out of it. Should they fail to do so, Ronaldo will struggle to impress as much as Messi can if Argentina reach the latter stages.
Icing on the cake - He's won everything else and broken every other record, surely it's natural for Messi to now star at the World Cup. Only on the International stage has the Argentine failed to dominate and there's one empty space reserved in his mighty trophy cabinet.
He said so – After a season where he has been hit from all angles like never before, Messi has come out fighting. At least in terms of the words coming out of his mouth. The little magician has claimed that it will be a different story this summer where his country will not only see the Messi of old, but they will see a better version.
Fighting Fit - Messi may have missed part of the season with injuries, but is now back and ready to go. Ronaldo meanwhile isn't and has seen his campaign and fitness be rather stop start towards the end of the season. Messi has also played fewer games and may have more in the tank.
When he's bad he's good - Messi’s so called terrible Liga season is still nearly as good as Ronaldo’s award winning one. 41 goals from 44 appearances isn't exactly scraping the barrel. The likes of Chelsea or even Arsenal would do pretty much anything for a player who can get even half of that.
He'll outscore Ronaldo - Messi could win the Golden Boot in the group stage. Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria stand in the way of Argentina reaching the knockout stages and Leo can smell hat tricks. Portugal will have to get past Ghana, Germany and USA, no whipping boys in sight.
Who do you think will have the better World Cup? Let us know your thoughts below.
