Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo? The debate was always absurd

As everyone tried to find words, with Lionel Scaloni again insisting Lionel Messi just defies explanation, the roar said enough. And there were two. One was for breaking the World Cup scoring record with a brilliant first-time finish for his 17th goal. The next was for going clear, through a typically divine first touch and relentless run, to bring this 2-0 win over Austria to a glorious crescendo . As Messi made the record 18, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium sounded like the Bombonera, so many fans having made the trip to just witness… greatness. Is that even the right word any more? Even by his standards, this is getting absurd. To think that the 2022 World Cup was characterised by a tension over whether every match would be his last in the competition, whether he would ever fulfil this grand quest. To think that this greatest of tournaments used to just mean pain and disappointment for Messi. He has admitted he used to wake up in the middle of the night dwelling on the defeated final of 2014. Now, he’s fulfilling every dream, every expectation from all that young talent. Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Austria (AP) Messi is not just the player with the most appearances at the World Cup but now its all-time top scorer, and he may yet end up with a third tournament golden ball, a first golden boot and maybe - just maybe - a second winners medal. In two games in the States, he has already equalled the five goals previous record-holder Miroslav Klose claimed for his golden boot in 2006 and Thomas Muller did in 2010. And that’s with a group game against Jordan to come. Could we be looking at Just Fontaine’s single tournament record of 13? It’s far from inconceivable, especially if he ends up with eight after the group stage. Even without getting to that, his existing record is already a level beyond what was imagined when he coursed through Serbia and Montenegro for that first World Cup goal 20 years ago. It’s even got to the point where his World Cup legacy may now be surpassing that of Barcelona. He stands alone, in so many ways. If the debate with Cristiano Ronaldo was always absurd, given that there was never really any debate at all, Messi is ensuring it was just a quirk of history. The contrast does say something else, though. Lionel Messi gestures towards the Argentina fans in Dallas (Reuters) Messi remains at an improbably good level a mere two days from his 39th birthday, while Ronaldo looks like the 41-year-old he is. That isn’t to criticise the Portuguese, outside a persistence costing his team , since he’s a 41-year-old. It just emphasises how extraordinary Messi is. While Ronaldo strains to now even do the basics, Messi still looks so effortless in doing things few in history could manage. It makes clear how he was always just the purer, better footballer by some distance, and maybe the purest footballer of all. Diego Maradona and Pele always had those World Cup legacies but Messi’s is now threatening to be greater. Some of this of course only reminds how he is the ultimate product of the modern age as well as someone truly unique. We don’t need to repeat arguments about how Messi enjoyed multiple advantages of his era in the way Maradona and previous legends didn’t. It’s also still true that he worked on a shift. From 2014 on, after he endured so many fitness issues at that World Cup, he began to look after his body better. He became a lot closer to Ronaldo in that sense, if never going to such absurd levels. Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with teammate Leandro Paredes (Getty) And that’s the amazing thing now. He moves and plays now like he did 10 years ago. It may be more staccato and from more restrained overall performances, but the release is still breathtaking. That’s what the second goal against Austria showcased. It also highlighted just how much with Argentina is still about him. This is a relatively moderate and even stale team outside their legend. There were periods in this game where they looked very uncomfortable with Austrian pressing. Superior sides may well exploit that leaden nature, and ensure Messi can’t have the same impact. But that’s still just a question for now, amid some doubts. There is no doubt about Messi himself, or even a debate about his standing. And there may yet be more to come.