Today, the footballing world will only have eyes for one game: El Clásico, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid.
And most of those eyes will be focused squarely on two men; the undeniable leaders of their respective sides, and - in my humble opinion - numbers 1 and 1A in the never-ending “best player in the world” debate.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the midst of an epic battle to the top of the soccer heap, both leading their sides to supremacy on the pitch through unrivaled mastery of their craft.
The two superstars really are a reflection of their respective teams.
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Messi is the pint-sized magician who epitomizes all that is synonymous with Barcelona football. The Catalan side discovered the Argentine when he was still a child, and - like many of Barca’s current stars - they invested heavily into his development (both soccer-wise and medical). Messi’s journey to the top was a struggle from the get-go, with special medical treatments needed simply to reach his listed height of 5’7” (which is generous, to say the least).
Barcelona’s loyalty to Messi paid off, and now the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year heads up a side filled with players who grew up in the famed youth system of the Catalan club. The undeniable philosophy of the club is on display through players such as Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué, Puyol, Busquets, Pedro, and even goalkeeper Victor Valdés.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, loves to buy its way to success, and Cristiano Ronaldo is the crown jewel in a treasure trove of stars purchased from all over the globe. Tall, athletic, handsome, and gifted with a lethal shot, CR7 is the yin to Messi’s yang. Where Messi is the artist who excels in spite of his obvious physical limitations, Ronaldo embraces his natural attributes and utilizes every last ounce of them.
Ronaldo’s combination of power, speed, and athleticism have enabled him to rise to heights only dreamed of by most footballers, even including most of his own teammates. Surrounded by a sterling supporting cast of players such as Özil, Kaká, Higuain, Sergio Ramos, Arbeloa, Benzema, and di Maria, Ronaldo heads up a dream team of Galacticos, all executing the vision of manager José Mourinho.
Ronaldo and Messi are the figureheads of the two most powerful club sides in Spain (and arguably, the entire world), but apart from that, they are also engaged in a personal battle that has set the soccer world on fire. Over the past couple of months, they been playing a game of “anything you can do, I can do better.” If Messi scores a brace, Ronaldo will score a hat-trick. If Ronaldo sets up four goals for his side, Messi will set up five.
The result has been domination by the two undisputed powerhouse clubs of La Liga, and a highly anticipated showdown between soccer’s two reigning kings.
I can hardly wait.
Of course, given the unreal levels of anticipation for this match, it’ll likely be a low-scoring, highly-defensive affair. Murphy’s Law, and all that.
I’m calling for home-field advantage to win out, with Barcelona edging their rivals 2-1. Both FCB goals by Messi, of course.
How do you see this game going?