While both are exceptional dribblers, Lionel Messi is generally considered the superior dribbler due to his unmatched close control, vision, and ability to consistently beat multiple defenders in tight spaces, whereas Cristiano Ronaldo's early career featured explosive, powerful dribbles that evolved into a focus on goalscoring, though he remained a phenomenal dribbler in his own right. Statistics show Messi with significantly more successful dribbles per 90 minutes over his career, highlighting his consistent impact in this area compared to Ronaldo's shift to a more central, goal-focused role later on.
But you can't deceive me, you can only deceive senseless Ronaldo fans Lionel Messi completed 484 successful dribbles in 151 matches between 2004–2009, while Cristiano Ronaldo completed 695 dribbles in 292 matches between 2003–2009.
The "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) in football is a subjective debate, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are overwhelmingly considered the top contenders, with Messi often edging out due with recent major wins like the 2022 World Cup, though Ronaldo's longevity and dominance in multiple leagues also make a strong case, with many legends and publications naming Messi as #1. Other historical greats like Pelé and Maradona are also part of the conversation.
15 Best Dribblers in World Soccer—Ranked
The debate over who is better, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, is ongoing, with Messi often favored by stats for overall impact, playmaking, and recent World Cup win, while Ronaldo leads in sheer volume of official goals and Champions League titles, showcasing different elite styles—Messi with unmatched dribbling and vision, Ronaldo with physical dominance and goalscoring prowess. Both are considered among the greatest ever, with Messi holding more Ballon d'Or awards and overall trophies, while Ronaldo boasts more goals and Champions League victories across different leagues.
🗣️ "In fact, we contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris." "We presented him with an offer of 💲1.5 million euros, but the player rejected it because his family wanted to live in Miami." 🗣️ "It's surprising that a player could decline an offer for the sake of his family." He managed to convince his family, ...
In terms of number of Goals CR7 is the GOAT but in terms of playmaking , creating chances ,assists ,vision Leo Messi is The GOAT.
RONALDO IS A BETTER DRIBBLER THAN MESSI – AND I WILL SHOW YOU FACTS TO BACK IT! Between 2003 and 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo had more completed dribbles (506 in the Premier League) than Lionel Messi (376), according to Opta stats cited by several sources!
Vasco da Game fans called him "Cafune" and chanted his name making a pun that Dener was "a mixture of Garrincha and Pele. His was nicknamed as "God of dribbling" by the Portuguesa fans and "Cafune" (hairline in Portuguese) by Vasco supporters.
If you want to dribble like Messi, you need to get low to the ground. So, bend your knees like this. That way, if someone lunges in, you can shift the ball instantly away and you have more force doing so. Yes, perfect.
Messi will score 900th goal in 2026. Can he reach 1,000? Can he pass Ronaldo? Lionel Messi is never far from breaking his next record or hitting his next landmark, and he enters 2026 on the verge of yet another massive milestone in his incredible career: his 900th goal.
Why Ronaldo considers himself to the GOAT. Ronaldo has happily billed himself as the GOAT, telling La Sexta of why he sits above the likes of Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele: "I think I'm the most complete player there has ever been. That's my opinion. It could be a question of taste but I think it's me.
However, Cristiano still tops the all-time scoring chart with 943 goals in 1,287 appearances — 63 ahead of Messi, who continues to close the gap with remarkable consistency.
Ronaldo Hits 1 Billion Fans! How CR7 Became a Social Media KING!
- Messi will never have the jump and headers like Ronaldo - Messi will never have more penalties scored than Ronaldo - Messi will never have more "Hair of God" goals than Ronaldo - Messi will never win an international trophy in a fair way like Ronaldo - Messi will never have more Ballon d'Ors in a fair way than ...
In football (soccer), the 🐐 emoji or "GOAT" stands for "Greatest Of All Time," a title given to the player considered the absolute best ever, with frequent debates centering on legends like Pelé, Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo} due to their unmatched skill, records, and impact on the sport.
He only stopped dribbling because he wasn't the best dribbler. He fueled his energy and passion towards what he was good at; building obsession for goals, instilling selfishness which made him the player with the most goals. To think Messi gave him a 2-year headstart and is still closely behind him.
All-time goals, career statistics and red cards
Ronaldo has received praise for his physical attributes, goalscoring skills, and impact across multiple leagues, while Messi is lauded for his combination of dribbling, playmaking and goalscoring.
It's unlikely but possible for Lionel Messi to score 1000 career goals, requiring him to maintain a high scoring rate (around 36-37 goals/season) for his remaining years at Inter Miami, potentially until 2028, despite slowing down and focusing more on playmaking; factors like injury and focus shift towards life after football make it a challenging milestone to reach. He needs about 110-116 more goals, and while he's in good form, maintaining it past age 40 is a big ask, with some projections placing him in the 960-980 goal range by retirement.
The 🐐 emoji and slang word "GOAT" stand for "Greatest Of All Time," a term used to praise someone exceptionally skilled, like an amazing athlete or musician. It's a huge compliment, calling someone the best ever in their field, though it can also refer to the literal animal or the Capricorn zodiac sign.
Google has given its verdict on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate, who is the better player? According to Bard, Messi is the slightly better player due to several attributes that he mentioned in detail.