The Battle of Good vs Evil: Messi vs Ronaldo
By Jimmy Lee
Just so we are all clear, there is no point for me to try and hide my allegiance. I lived in Argentina when I was younger and will forever be a fan of the country’s national team. Even though I am an American, my soccer passport was issued by Argentina the second I stepped foot in that beautiful country.
I always enjoyed soccer, but during my years in Argentina, I truly fell in love with it.
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Tuesday Argentina and their captain Lionel Messi take on Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.
On the surface, this match has everything. The two undisputed best players in the world go head to head like they do several times a year for their club teams, but Tuesday will only be the second time they meet wearing the colors of their home nations.
In 2011 Argentina and Portugal met in Switzerland and the Albiceleste won on a 90th minute penalty converted by Lionel Messi. Ronaldo scored the only goal that day for the European side.
But this match is not only about Messi and Ronaldo. We get our second chance to see Carlos Tevez as he continues his attempt to gain favor in the eyes of the national team. This match is also about a Portugal squad who struggled in the World Cup and has struggled ever since.
But come on, let’s be honest, this match is about good vs evil, or in other words, Messi vs Ronaldo.
Like I said, my heart is made of two pieces. The left valve is in the shape of Argentina and the right valve is in the shape of a soccer ball. So in the battle of Messi and Ronaldo, I view Messi as the superhero looking to defeat the world’s most dangerous villain, Cristiano Ronaldo.
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With recent talk around a certain nick-name that Ronaldo has for his Barcelona foe, even though Messi may not show it, there is no doubt that he wants this victory.
When you add in the fact that Ronaldo and Real Madrid embarrassed Barcelona last month in El Clasico, one can only assume that Messi will be fiercely motivated to take down the Portuguese icon.
Portugal, who was knocked out of the so called “Group of Death” in the World Cup, has had two wins and two losses in their European qualifying campaign. They have dropped back to #9 in the FIFA world rankings. Tuesday’s match will be a chance for Portugal to prove that they can still compete against the world’s best.
Even though this match may be a friendly, there is no way the two stars have friendly feelings towards one another.
From an outsider’s prospective, one would assume that the Messi/Ronaldo rivalry means a lot more to Ronaldo than it does Messi. But don’t be confused by their different personalities. Messi may be quieter about it, but he wants to beat Ronaldo just as much as Ronaldo hopes to defeat the Argentine.
With a grip of exciting international friendlies on Tuesday, Argentina v Portugal looks to be a match no soccer fan would dare miss. So make sure to skip your work, school, wedding or whatever responsibilities you have going on; nothing is more important than Messi v Ronaldo, the international version.