Ronaldinho 05/06 vs messi 08/09

UEFA_Barça_Chris said:

Ronaldinho...Period. He won a CL and a World Cup. First Barcelona player ever to get applaud from Madrid fans, best ball control, most electrifying player in the world, and a very great playmaker. And it's funny some of you people were ronnie fans but expect messi to be better if he won titles. Just means whoever has more glory is the better man. I disagree with that 50%, but one thing Ronnie did that Messi didn't was bringing magic to FCB and the world! As much as I love and respect Messi, Ronaldinho came in first in my life and he's my top idol forever and ever till the day I DIE

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19 June 2008 - Brazil 0-0 Argentina. Lionel Messi was applauded off the pitch by the Brazil fans. That beats Barcelona/Real Madrid, and he didn't even score which makes it all the more remarkable!

In terms of ball control, Messi far exceeds Ronaldinho, even better than the king himself Diego Maradona. I find no debate here whatsoever tbh. Lionel Messi is the best player of the last 20 years bar none. Better than Henry, Zidane, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Figo, Ronaldinho AND van Basten. Under Guardiola he has a ridiculous record of something like 90 goals in 110 games, on top of 30 odd assists. Genius is a bit of an understatement!

Catalonian Devil said:

Ronadinho was more entertaining, Messi is more effective...

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I disagree, I find Leo Messi far more entertaining. Some of the things he does it just out of this world. Doesn't need a trick or stop the ball, he can just run opponents at will, and if he can't get round them, he will go through them. His quick intricate dribbling and ability to change direction at any speed is quite extraordinary. Guess people have different opinions though - some may find Xavi's playmaking skills and passing game more entertaining.

maz said:

But what about 08/09? 09/10 Messi was without a doubt superior to 05/06 Ronnie.

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if we're talkin' 08/09 I gotta give it to ronaldinho 05/06. in 08/09 messi toned down the magic in favour of perfecting the art of consistent end product.

putogusiluz8 said:

Though Ronnie was one of the reasons I really got into watching club football, and ultimately ended up supporting Barca, imo Messi is just superior to even the best version of Ronaldinho. Perhaps not as entertaining, I'll give you that. But Messi is a one in a lifetime player.

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I agree with this.

Carefree said:

19 June 2008 - Brazil 0-0 Argentina. Lionel Messi was applauded off the pitch by the Brazil fans. That beats Barcelona/Real Madrid, and he didn't even score which makes it all the more remarkable!

In terms of ball control, Messi far exceeds Ronaldinho, even better than the king himself Diego Maradona. I find no debate here whatsoever tbh. Lionel Messi is the best player of the last 20 years bar none. Better than Henry, Zidane, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Figo, Ronaldinho AND van Basten. Under Guardiola he has a ridiculous record of something like 90 goals in 110 games, on top of 30 odd assists. Genius is a bit of an understatement!



I disagree, I find Leo Messi far more entertaining. Some of the things he does it just out of this world. Doesn't need a trick or stop the ball, he can just run opponents at will, and if he can't get round them, he will go through them. His quick intricate dribbling and ability to change direction at any speed is quite extraordinary. Guess people have different opinions though - some may find Xavi's playmaking skills and passing game more entertaining.

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Bravo.

Metaphysical said:

if we're talkin' 08/09 I gotta give it to ronaldinho 05/06. in 08/09 messi toned down the magic in favour of perfecting the art of consistent end product.

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I'm still trying to get my head around this.

In 2008/09, Barcelona became the first Spanish team in history to complete the treble. Their team was widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, with world class players in virtually every position, Xavi was pulling the strings in midfield, Iniesta was playing godly football on return from injury and Gerard Pique was forcing Marquez and Milito out the team - yet one player stood out among the rest - Lionel Messi.

He rescued more games for Barcelona that year than Ronaldinho in 2005/06, and almost every single one of his 38 goals were better than anything Ronnie managed in the same period. The goal against Lyon stands out here, something of sheer beauty. The most absurd thing is, his goals the following year were pretty much better than anything he managed in 2008/09 (Valencia, Zaragoza, Arsenal etc) AND he managed to hit the back of the net 9 more times.

In 2004/05 Ronaldinho scored the best goal I have ever seen against us at Stamford Bridge, but the following year he was outshone at our ground by 18 year old Messi... and for me, he's now developed into the best player I have ever seen

Ronaldinho in his 2005 prime was a better, more complete player than Messi has been up until this moment in time.

Only time I can think of in the last two seasons when Messi has matched Dinho at his absolute best was in the second half of Zaragoza away.

Insofar as the 'magic' goes, Messi isn't really on the same plane as Ronaldinho and had more of it pre-Pep and before he turned into a goal machine, imo.

Myrmecophile said:

Ronaldinho in his 2005 prime was a better, more complete player than Messi has been up until this moment in time.

Only time I can think of in the last two seasons when Messi has matched Dinho at his absolute best was in the second half of Zaragoza away.

Insofar as the 'magic' goes, Messi isn't really on the same plane as Ronaldinho and had more of it pre-Pep and before he turned into a goal machine, imo.

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He was out shining Ronaldinho well before Guardiola arrived, even Ronaldinho eluded to it when he won his second World Player of the Year award. Messi just took his game one level further when he inherited the number 10 shirt. Undeniably Ronaldinho was brilliant, at times he was unstoppable, but not once did he ever draw comparisons with Diego Maradona and Pele... Messi has, and he's on the cusp of eclipsing them provided he stays injury free. He's also far more professional than Ronnie was and won't piss his career away. IMO, Ronaldinho wasn't even the best player in the world in 2005 anyway - Thierry Henry was.

Ronaldinho.

This poll is a bit on the unfair side. Why not compare the Ronaldinho of 05-06 to the Messi of the 09-10. That surely is more balanced. Ronaldinho for sure was better in 05-06 than Messi in 08-09.

Carefree said:

He was out shining Ronaldinho well before Guardiola arrived, even Ronaldinho eluded to it when he won his second World Player of the Year award. Messi just took his game one level further when he inherited the number 10 shirt. Undeniably Ronaldinho was brilliant, at times he was unstoppable, but not once did he ever draw comparisons with Diego Maradona and Pele... Messi has, and he's on the cusp of eclipsing them provided he stays injury free. He's also far more professional than Ronnie was and won't piss his career away. IMO, Ronaldinho wasn't even the best player in the world in 2005 anyway - Thierry Henry was.

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Well, I don't know how much stock I (or anyone) can put into footballers talking about themselves/others. They are often quite strikingly incorrect or, simply, modest.

That aside, Messi is clearly more professional/focused and history will remember him as the better player in the general sense. But at his best Dinho was superior to Messi, and certainly to Henry, ESPECIALLY in 2005. That was probably the greatest calendar year had by a player since R9's 1997.

arman91 said:

This poll is a bit on the unfair side. Why not compare the Ronaldinho of 05-06 to the Messi of the 09-10. That surely is more balanced. Ronaldinho for sure was better in 05-06 than Messi in 08-09.

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Tbf this thread was made in April 2009

What Ronaldinho brought to the world of football was magic beyond skill. It wasn't that he was super skillful on the ball, it wasn't that his ball control was unbelievable even at a high pace what he brought was a show of trickery and street art. Messi's football is mind blowing, what he could do in tight spaces due to his technique and speed but what Ronaldinho brought to the field was enchanting. Messi's physical ability is what beats opponents, his ability to redirect the ball into tight space when a defender has committed. However, it seemed at times like Ronaldinho toyed with his opponent, it was mind control. Messi will never be able to start a run when he has the ball dead at his feet running into a player, but Ronaldinho could. If you notice, Messi always needed time to run with the ball in order to gain momentum however Ronaldinho had full control of the ball and gave it life with a simple touch. Zidane was the same, fat ronaldo was the same.

Messi is effective though, more so than Ronaldinho.

Whatever Messi is the best thing since sliced bread.

If u like samba, flash, and some stepovers ronaldinho.. if u like sheer speed and explosiveness and total ownage without a thought.. Messi

I think its personal preference.. they both owned everyone....

Messi is spectacular and efficient at one and the same...Ronnie's spectacle was not always coupled with efficiency....

...but at his time he was undisputed number one...

Watching Ronaldinho was spectacular, But watching messi is just that much more. I genuinly believe Messi, now that Argentina have got a coach, could be regarded as the best ever if they can get it together,

heres a scary thought..

---Rivaldo---Messi---Ronaldinho--

and thats not including Fenomeno, who would be there but only played for a year.

Raed said:

What Ronaldinho brought to the world of football was magic beyond skill. It wasn't that he was super skillful on the ball, it wasn't that his ball control was unbelievable even at a high pace what he brought was a show of trickery and street art. Messi's football is mind blowing, what he could do in tight spaces due to his technique and speed but what Ronaldinho brought to the field was enchanting. Messi's physical ability is what beats opponents, his ability to redirect the ball into tight space when a defender has committed. However, it seemed at times like Ronaldinho toyed with his opponent, it was mind control. Messi will never be able to start a run when he has the ball dead at his feet running into a player, but Ronaldinho could. If you notice, Messi always needed time to run with the ball in order to gain momentum however Ronaldinho had full control of the ball and gave it life with a simple touch. Zidane was the same, fat ronaldo was the same.

Messi is effective though, more so than Ronaldinho.

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Yep, agree with this. Messi will go down in history as the better player, but Ronaldinho excited me more when he got his jig on. Messi is magical, amazing, spectacular(and many other complimentary words) at times, but Ronaldinho in full flight was something you can't describe with words, like Maradona, minus the epic ability to party hard, be constantly high or coming down while being the best in history.