In this article, we compare the goals scored by both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when dribbling the ball. The comparison also includes Neymar and Xabi Alonso. Read on to find out more about both players. This article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of their individual skills, but rather a comparison of their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Lionel Messi
It is not clear who has more goals by dribbling – Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Both players are outstanding players but Messi has been more prolific in dribbling than Ronaldo. Both players have won U-20 World Cups and reached the final of the 2014 World Cup. However, Argentina lost in extra time to Germany. Both players have also been eliminated by Germany three times in a row – 4-0 in 2010 and 5-3 on penalties in 2006.
Despite having fewer goals, Ronaldo still has a significant advantage in assists, which will be a key factor in determining a GOAT. Despite Ronaldo’s contributions to the Champions League, Messi has scored more goals by dribbling. Despite these differences, both players have a strong case for being crowned GOAT. The most important question is who is the better player.
Cristiano Ronaldo
In recent years, we’ve seen the two best dribblers in the world compete in the same position: the midfielder and the winger. But can a midfielder outscore a striker? Ronaldo has the athleticism to do it. He combines dizzying pace with powerful shooting and the leaping ability of an NBA star. At just 30 years old, Ronaldo is still able to perform at such an elite level. The next generation of players should look to him as an inspiration.
The dribbling ability of Messi and Ronaldo is an obvious strength, and they can both be considered great scorers. The latter is the more accomplished player in the world, but Messi has proven that he’s more creative than his teammate. Messi, on the other hand, is the better finisher overall, so he’s arguably the better player overall.
Neymar
It’s no secret that Neymar is one of the most targeted players in the game. Since joining PSG in 2017-18, he has been fouled a record 227 times in Ligue 1 and 128 times in the Champions League, a rate of one foul every 19 minutes. So how many goals has Neymar scored this season by dribbling?
Neymar has the ability to score on every single shot. His agility and power make him a dangerous player on the counterattack. Few defenses are capable of keeping up with him. When he does have the ball, he has the upper-hand. And his incredible dribbling skills make him an absolute terror. However, Neymar has underperformed his goals-per-dribbling expectations in recent years.
As far as total goals by dribbling go, Ronaldo has the upper-hand. Ronaldo’s record includes hattricks, golden boots, and four Champions League titles. Meanwhile, Neymar has played 520 games. The Brazilian has scored more goals, assisted more than Ronaldo, and has won the Copa Libertadores and the Champions League with Barcelona and Santos, and played in more games than Messi.
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso is a Barcelona midfielder who has played in all competitions for Barcelona since 2012. The former Real Madrid man has accumulated more goals by dribbling than either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi in the same season. Neither player is as good at dribbling as the other, but their skills and abilities can help them score goals. Compared to the Spanish star, Alonso is much faster and has better touch.
Messi’s first touch is his most impressive and effective in history, and his ability to stop the ball from errant passes is legendary. He has the ability to dribble past defenders from a high position and even stop balls that are dropped from ten stories high. His versatility in dribbling makes him an excellent candidate for the role of best dribbler in history, though he has some competition in the form of Maradona and Garrincha.
While Xabi Alonso has scored more overall, Messi has been better at scoring goals by dribbling. While Ronaldo and Messi can do most of these things, Alonso has done a better job of it than either player in the last two seasons. Alonso is also a better passer, and can create more chances for the team than either.
Luis Suarez
Both players have been prolific in their attacking play. But which of these two has scored more goals by dribbling? The Barcelona superstar has the most touches per game compared to his Atletico Madrid teammate. And Suarez has scored more goals by dribbling than Ronaldo. While both have a great deal of skill, Suarez possesses a special talent for turning the ball. While Ronaldo has more assists per game, Messi has a greater goal-scoring ability.
In the season ended last May, Messi was second for the Barca league table, and despite missing 12 games due to injuries, his goal and assist collection were their lowest ever. Toni, who scored 39 goals for Bayern Munich, should have been in Messi’s place in the league table. Meanwhile, Van der Vaart finished fourth for his club, with fifteen goals and nine assists.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
If we are to look at the record books, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most prolific players of all time. He has scored over 500 goals for clubs across Europe, almost as many as Luis Suarez. Ibrahimovic’s acrobatic goals and excellent technique have earned him the title of the greatest striker of all time. He has played for several top European clubs and has won more trophies than either Messi or Ronaldo.
The former MLS superstar scored his 500th goal on 15 September against Toronto FC. His goal was a great moment, and he scored three goals in the second half of the match. The goal was even better than the latter’s recent long shots. After that, Ibrahimovic was named captain of the Galaxy and the team. This season, he scored 26 goals and broke the record for most goals in a season.
In terms of total goals, Messi leads the way. Despite being two years older than Messi, the Portuguese star has the edge. Ronaldo had more goals, but Messi has a better average season goal total. In 2011-12, Messi hit an all-time high of 73 goals, while Ronaldo scored just 20. Another metric that measures player performance is pass completion rate, or pct. A reliable metric for this is Romario 0.77, which is often the main port of call for the golden boot.
Xavi
Xavi has been the best dribbler in Europe, but the question is whether Messi or Ronaldo score more goals by dribbling. This debate is a good one to ask, especially when the results are not in their favour. It is difficult to answer the question with a straight answer, but let’s consider the following points to decide which player is better.
Both players have more goals than the other, but Messi has more Champions League appearances and a higher goals-per-game ratio. The two are equally matched in terms of the number of World Cup appearances, although Ronaldo is the more consistent player. The difference in the goals scored is so close that this debate is likely to continue. The answer to this question might surprise you.
The former Barcelona captain scored more goals by dribbling than his rivals, but his striking ability is limited. Messi’s traditional style usually involves bends in the corner from twenty to twenty-five yards, but he has also scored from 30+ yards. His goals also tend to come from behind the wall, and he often hits the ball with force. This triggered a trend for teams to lay a player behind the wall to stop Messi from scoring.
Gareth Bale
Neymar has more goals than Bale, but both players have excellent ball control. Neymar has consistently clocked faster speeds than Bale, but Bale has more goals scored by dribbling. Both players have been recognized for their free-kick and distance shooting skills. In fact, Bale has won a number of trophies.
As for their team-mates, Bale’s team-mates aren’t as impressive as Neymar’s. He’s only made 41 appearances for Wales, but his goal-scoring record has been decent. He’s scored one goal per game, while Ronaldo has scored one every 3.6 games. Compared to Neymar, Bale’s opponent list isn’t as impressive: Switzerland, Slovakia, and Portugal are among the most notable. The rest are the usual European minnows.
However, his record must be put in context: his current form with Wales means he hasn’t won any silverware, despite being a EUR100 million player. It isn’t even close to Messi’s record, which stands at 107 goals. But that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing. Unlike Messi or Ronaldo, Gareth Bale has more goals scored by dribbling.
