In the endless debate over football’s greatest player, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are always central figures. Each has a devoted fanbase that points to their preferred star’s stats, trophies, and moments of brilliance. Lionel Messi, the magician who could dribble past the entire team and Cristiano Ronaldo the goal scoring powerhouse who made goal scoring look easy.
These two have set the bar so high for any footballer, that it seems impossible for anyone to reach it. People laud Messi for his completeness and ability to make people fall in love with the beautiful game. People laud Ronaldo for his comebacks, consistency and his athleticism.
But for Dutch legend Ruud Gullit, a different interpretation is at play when it comes to who young, aspiring footballers should look up to. While he acknowledges the talent of Messi, Gullit argues that Ronaldo’s journey offers a more valuable blueprint for success.
In a discussion on Dutch Media Channel Ziggo Sports Gullit claimed : “Messi or Ronaldo? Look, I believe Cristiano Ronaldo is a pure idol for every single kid because of how hard he worked. Lionel Messi is just a freak of nature, like Maradona. But Ronaldo really worked super hard.”
While Gullit acknowledges Messi’s raw, natural talent, he argues that Ronaldo’s journey and work ethic offer a more valuable and attainable model for aspiring footballers.
Messi’s playing style is built on instinct and a special connection with the ball. His low center of gravity and amazing control let him make moves that are impossible to teach. He understands the game in a way that goes beyond strategy. This makes him thrilling to watch, but hard to copy.
In contrast, Ronaldo is the ultimate model of hard work, discipline, and a winning mentality. For Gullit, Ronaldo proves that greatness can be built through relentless effort, not just luck. Ronaldo’s journey from a skinny young winger to a powerful goal scoring machine shows his dedication to training and his strong desire to win.
Ronaldo also had a constant drive to prove doubters wrong. After his transfer to Real Madrid for a world-record fee, he was under immense pressure. He didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer. He scored 451 goals in 438 games for Los Blancos a goal every 83.8 minutes which is ridiculous to fathom. He would win the Champions league a record three times in a row. He also won the competition 5 times, only Bayern Munich, Liverpool and AC Milan as clubs have more UCL titles than him.
Gullit’s opinion holds significant weight. As a two time World Player of the Year and a Ballon d’Or winner, he understands what it takes to reach the pinnacle. He sees Messi’s genius as something that is nearly impossible to replicate. Gullit has stated, “I think Messi is a kind of gift. He’s born with it. It’s a kind of talent that you can’t really teach. The other one [Ronaldo] is about a work ethic. He’s also gifted, but the work ethic is what made him become the player he is. He’s a role model for kids.”
Ultimately, you can make a good case for both sides of Gullit’s argument. He’s not diminishing Messi’s greatness, he’s simply suggesting that Ronaldo’s path is more attainable.
Kids who try to imitate Messi’s movements might become frustrated by their inability to replicate his natural gift for the game.
However a kid who adopts Ronaldo’s mindset and commits to extra training, focuses on their physical strength, and develops an unyielding desire to score is setting themselves up for a much more realistic chance of success.
