Why are more and more people recognizing Messi as the first place instead of Ronaldo? One keyword: ability to lead the team

The debate about which Messi or Ronaldo is greater has been arguing for more than ten years. Now, especially after Messi won the 2022 World Cup, more and more professional institutions, players and coaches have ranked Messi first in history. Why? I think the most critical point lies in the four words of leadership ability.

Both of them are the core of the national team, but the results of leading the team are much worse.

Messi led Argentina: He fought with injuries in the 2014 World Cup, reached the finals all the way, and won the World Cup Golden Globe Award, which symbolizes the best player in the tournament. In 2021, the Americas Cup directly dominated the game, leading the team to win the championship with 4 goals and 5 assists. The 2022 World Cup dream is realized and the cup is won, and 4 key assists are given in the five World Cup knockout rounds. The more critical the moment, the more you can stand up.

Ronaldo took Portugal: he played as the core player and played in four World Cups, and never entered the quarterfinals in one time. In 17 World Cup games, all the data of 7 goals and 2 assists were scored in the group stage, and the knockout granules were not collected (0 goals and 0 assists). The only major championship (Europe 2016), he left early due to injury in the final, and the team narrowly won. As for the two European League championships, the value of the European Cup and the Copa America is slightly less valuable.

A coach said: "Messi can handle the game alone, while Ronaldo needs the cooperation of the whole team to shine. Messi's handling of the ball in a small space, his breakthrough and confidence are decisive.

Just looking at the total national team goals, Ronaldo is much more than Messi (70 goals). But the ability to lead the team cannot only look at who scores more goals, but who can make the entire team play better.

1. Looking at the top ten goals in a single year, Messi occupies three positions alone (20 113 goals in 2012, 96 goals in 2011, 90 goals in 2016), Ronaldo did not squeeze in.

2. Looking at the key passes, Messi gave 12 scalpel-like straight passes alone in the 2022 season, which was more than Neymar and De Bruyne at the time.

3. At the club level, two goals in a single game and the number of hat tricks was also more prominent than Ronaldo.

Messi is not just a scorer, he can not only score goals by himself, but also create opportunities for his teammates. When Ronaldo needs his teammates to feed his cake, Messi has already used his pass to tear his opponent's defense line.

Look at how they were captains: Messi, when he exchanged jerseys with his opponents at the end of the game, the captain's armband was still wearing. After winning the Copa America, he called the whole team together to pay tribute to Maradona. Where is Ronaldo? The scene of the armband was thrown more than once, and he was so angry that he wanted to make up for it. Internal conflicts of Portugal emerged from time to time, and the team's condition was very ups and downs.

The difference in leadership is directly reflected in the bottom line of the team's performance: Messi led the team to play in the World Cup, and the worst was the top 16; Ronaldo led the team and was directly eliminated at the bottom of the group stage in 2014.

Messi is strong because he has given his "leading ability" a new level. He does not pursue his own data, but tries his best to improve the team. In Barcelona, after Xavi got old, he took over the organizational task and can reach 20+ assists in a single season; in Argentina, he is willing to retreat to the midfield to sort out the offense and make goals for his teammates. This way of playing that constantly adjusts himself and puts the team first is the key to his winning goal.

Ronaldo is undoubtedly a super scorer, but Messi has proved that the true first person in history must be a core that can make the entire team work.