Who is the best?? :Messi or Ronaldo

Comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo

Main article: Messi–Ronaldo rivalry

Among his contemporary peers, Messi is most often compared and contrasted with Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, as part of an ongoing rivalry that has been compared to past sports rivalries like the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Björn Borg–John McEnroe rivalry in tennis, and the Ayrton Senna–Alain Prost rivalry from Formula One motor racing.[453][454]

Although Messi has at times denied any rivalry,[455][456] they are widely believed to push one another in their aim to be the best player in the world:[162] since 2008, Messi has won six Ballons d'Or to Ronaldo's five,[457] six FIFA World's Best Player awards to Ronaldo's five, and six European Golden Shoes to Ronaldo's four.[458] Pundits and fans regularly argue the individual merits of both players;[162][459] beyond their playing styles, the debate also revolves around their differing physiques – Ronaldo is 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in) with a muscular build – and contrasting public personalities, with Ronaldo's self-confidence and theatrics a foil to Messi's humility.[460][461][462] From 2009–10 to 2017–18, Messi faced Ronaldo at least twice every season in El Clásico, which ranks among the world's most viewed annual sports events.[463] Off the pitch, Ronaldo is his direct competitor in terms of salary, sponsorships, and social media fanbase.[463]