Messi better to watch
than Ronaldo, says
Saviola
2 December 2016
Javier Saviola believes Lionel Messi is
better to watch than Cristiano Ronaldo
as the two rivals prepare to do battle
in El Clasico.
Barcelona host Real Madrid on
Saturday, the champions trailing
Zinedine Zidane's side by six points at
the top of the table.
The match comes at a time when
Messi and Ronaldo are again the
leading candidates to win the Ballon
d'Or, having claimed the game's
biggest individual prize in every year
since Kaka's triumph in 2007.
Saviola – who played on both sides of
the Clasico divide – prefers Messi to
Ronaldo, but hailed the
accomplishments of both players.
He told Omnisport: "I love how Messi
plays football. If I had to choose a
favourite player, I would definitely
choose him.
"It is about taste, I like Messi better,
but there is no doubt that Cristiano is
a great player.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is a machine,
physically powerful. Messi is more
skilful and he brings more of a
spectacle when he comes onto the
pitch.
"When they finish their careers, both
will be among the best in history –
that is beyond doubt."
Former Argentina international Saviola
feels it is his compatriot Messi's
attitude and personality which helps
him to stand out from the crowd, as
well as his phenomenal talent.
Saviola added: "I love how he plays,
the way he improves season by
season – if he can improve at all as
there's little space for him to
improve!
"Messi is beyond doubt among of the
best in history. We are all looking to
everything he does as he is a pure
spectacle.
"He is the best, not just as a player but
also as a person. I have always been
on very good terms with him. He is a
very humble person and it is really
pleasant to chat with him.
"The kind of guy you keep a friendship
with, very humble. As great as he is
on the pitch, he is great as a person."
Saviola played for Barca while Messi
was making waves with the youth
team prior to making his debut in
2004.
"I heard there was a kid in the Barca
youth team and that it was worth
going to see him play," said Saviola.
"They told us he had an incredible left
foot, that he was already different and
they thought he would be one of the
best in history.
"He is better than the rest because he
thinks before he gets the ball at his
feet. Most players, we can't do that.
We can't think before we get the ball.
Maybe due to tiredness, maybe due to
our skills, but we can't.
"He thinks, he imagines the play
before even getting the ball and then
executes it. He's fast, really difficult to
stop. He's effective, understands his
team-mates and is really complete. A
normal player has two or three of
these skills – he has got them all."
But Saviola still had kind words for
Ronaldo, who is the favourite to be
named the world's best player when
the 2016 edition of the Ballon d'Or is
awarded.
"His results, his records are there," the
34-year-old added.
"Year after year they both improve
their own records and it is not
coincidence that all these years they
compete in between them to win
Ballon d'Or.
"They are making history with
amazing seasons clinching trophies
such as the Champions League or
Euros as Ronaldo did this summer
with Portugal.
"They were not favourites and it has a
huge merit that they won, he also won
Champions League.
"He's really effective and of course
stands a chance for Ballon d'Or. He is
really competitive with himself. If he
scores three he wants to hit the fourth
and you can see he gets frustrated if
he doesn't. So he's mentally really
strong."