By Segun Ajayi
I’ve observed a trend in football analysis in Nigeria which I consider unbalanced. This has to do with the recurring Ronaldo versus Messi debate whenever it is thrown up. I follow sports programmes on radio passionately and I’ve noticed more often than not that the debates are instigated at the instance of the Portuguese maestro.
For instance, a popular radio station in Lagos had to hurriedly end a debate on Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry when it became obvious callers, ostensibly, queried the premise upon which the topic was coined. Hear this from the radio presenter to his listener ” Do you think Messi will be under pressure now that Ronaldo has just won the Europa Nations’ League even as the Copa America kicks off this weekend?
The barrage of responses from callers, in which they reminded the presenter unanimously, that football is a team not a one-man game, first caught the presenter off guard. They argued, had Messi enjoyed the type of cohesion in the Portugal team among his Argentine teammates, the story would have been different. By inference, the callers said victory for Portugal was not always a Ronaldo show. Other players contributed immensely to ensure victory. The presenter hurriedly moved to another topic.
My grouse with some of the sports presenters on radio is their overt preference for Ronaldo. They raise issues at times auspicious the pendulum of the debate would swing to CR7.
For instance, I listened to another radio station in Lagos when a frustrated Messi fan had to call in to demand the reason, the presenters black out the opening match of the champion’s league between Barcelona and Hotspurs in which Messi scored a brace. To my shock, one the presenters responded, “What else shall we say about Messi?” He responded albeit discourteously and moved on. But the same station devoted close to 20 minutes to celebrate Ronaldo’s hatrlck against Athletico Madrid in the just concluded UCL.
My take on Ronaldo and Messi is that both players are exceptional. However, they are different in styles.
Since I’ve been watching Messi, he has never occurred to me as someone who comes under Ronaldo’s pressure. He likes to enjoy his game and he puts up marvelous displays on most occasions. That he has not won a Copa America or World Cup is neither here nor there. I also find the view that Messi has not won a major competition for his country infantile. I wonder at some pundits’ rating of the FIFA Under 20 cup, (2005) and Olympic gold medal (2008) won by Messi and for Argentina. People tend to downplay Messi’s Olympic gold out of malice, forgetting it was a national celebration when Nigeria won the same medal in 1996. Even playing in the final of the 2014 World Cup was a feat which Ronaldo may not attain before he retires.
The truth about life is that, sometimes, you cannot win it all. Very few players won it all. Maradona and Ronaldinho were among the few who won all the major trophies, champion’s League, world cup and the Copa. Even Ronaldo De Lima brood over his failure to win Olympic gold for Brazil. Was it not the in the same Portugal where Louis Figo, a world best player and Rui Costa watched as Greece lifted Euro 2004 on home soil. Does that detract from Figo as a world soccer great?
Even if Messi does not win the Copa or World Cup for Argentina, perhaps, he has been unfortunate for belonging to a generation that is not hungry for national glory. Messi critics should stop laying the blame at Messi’s doorstep. A team which parades stars like Kun Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dyballa, Angel D’Maria, Mario Icardi cannot be tagged less formidable. But if this set has not replicated Maradona’s feat by winning the World Cup, why heap all the blame on Messi as if blood doesn’t run in his veins as others?
Diego Maradona should shift his attention to his in-law, Aguero, and spare Messi his usual jibes each time things go awry for the national team. Maradona should count himself fortunate to have belonged to a set of players who were exceptional in their rights. His genius and the brilliance of his colleagues culminated in Argentina victory in Mexico. So, people who often chorus “Maradona single-handed won the 86 world cup for Argentina” should check the profiles of players who played alongside Diego in that competition. Names such as Jorge Burruchaga, Oscar Ruggeri, Sergio Batista, Nero Pumpido, the goalkeeper, and Daniel Pasarella to mention but a few. It would dawn on them the 86 squad was indomitable. So, if Messi has not been fortunate to win a Copa or World Cup, perhaps it is just that his time has not come. But to use every slip by the Argentine national team to promote the Ronaldo brand is Petty.
