Former Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio urged youngsters to idolize Cristiano Ronaldo’s football career over that of Lionel Messi. The Portuguese and Argentine national team captains have shared the elite stage of world football since the early 2000s, sharing a rivalry that transcended the game itself.
Fans, pundits, players, and even coaches have taken sides in hailing one as better than the other. Marchisio has now joined the conversation with an interesting take of his own.
Claudio Marchisio Urges Youngsters To Emulate Cristiano Ronaldo Over Lionel Messi
The former Italian midfielder feels Ronaldo is a product of endless hard work, while Messi is more of a gift from the universe. Speaking to Gazzetta Dello Sport (via GOAL), he said:
“Follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s example. If you have to find something in a player to become great champions, follow an example like his and not like Messi’s. Why? He was already a star, but he had to build himself even more. He worked very hard to get where he is, the other [Messi] was a talent blessed by the Lord, who hardly even needed to train.”
Ronaldo has often been hailed as one of the most physically astounding athletes and has often been praised by former teammates for being the hardest worker in training over the years. Messi, on the other hand, has indeed been praised by his former teammates and coaches as a phenomenon they may never see again on a football pitch.
Understandably, Marchisio has urged young fans of the sport to draw inspiration from Ronaldo’s climb rather than Messi’s, who many believe is magic on the pitch.
Is Messi Purely a Gifted Genius, and Ronaldo Just Discipline?
While the football put on display by the little maestro from Argentina does leave fans speechless at times, it is not accurate to surmise that Messi is just a talent. The former Barcelona forward joined the Catalan club at the tender age of 13 with below-optimum physical attributes.
His hard work and determination, complemented by support from the club, allowed Messi to overcome heavy odds and establish himself as perhaps the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Finally, the greatness of either Messi or Ronaldo during their peak pushed football to new boundaries. As has been expressed formerly by both of them, they did so with astounding effort only because they felt motivated by the competition from the other. Hence, to rule out one as just talent and the other as pure hard work can be a tad simplistic.
Superstars reach the levels they do because of a combination of skill and discipline. Winning a combined total of 13 Ballons d’Or and netting close to 1850 goals (combined) in a career that has spanned over 20 years requires the perfect balance of both talent and hard work.
