Victor Boniface placed a ₦1,000 bet with a fan yesterday in Awada, Anambra that he would score. After scoring, he didn't hesitate to collect his winnings from the fan😂🤣
I am a core Messi fan and he is obviously the GOAT but I know Messi did not deserve any of the two World Cup Golden Balls he has.
You may not agree with me, but read further.
In 2014, Messi had zero goals in the knockout stage and ghosted when it truly mattered.
Thomas Müller scored five goals, created chances in every game, and led his team to World Cup victory.
Di María, Mascherano, and Higuaín all had bigger real impacts than Messi, who ghosted throughout the knockout stage and missed a sitter in the final.
In 2022, Messi scored three penalties and even missed one.
Mbappé finished the tournament with eight goals, including a hat trick in the final, yet he did not win the Golden Ball.
Argentina’s best player in last world cup was Emiliano Martínez, who kept three clean sheets in seven matches and made crucial saves, including the heroics against Netherlands during shootouts and also that Kolo Muani chance.
Martínez’s final performance was far more decisive than Messi who scored a tap-in and a penalty in the final.
In both 2014 and 2022, Messi was not among the top two best players in either tournament.
Only Messi fans want to force everyone to accept one player is better, that’s how you know it’s not true.
You people think football is just close control, dribbling in tight spaces, playmaking in between lines, maybe that Messi is the most naturally gifted player ever.
But Ronaldo didn’t just succeed in one system or one type of football. He dominated in England, Spain, and Italy three very different leagues tactically. He’s doing the same at Saudi Arabia a different continent at 40. And Not just “did well,” but top scorer, best player, main man everywhere. The argument is that if you drop him into any football ecosystem fast league, tactical league, counterattacking team, possession team, he still becomes the focal point and produces.
Now let’s go into “Football Mechanics”, not legacy, not mentality or trophies. There’s nobody born of Man that plays football that Strikes the ball better than Ronaldo, Right leg, Weak foot, Headers. He has the best legs. If Messi excel in playmaking, there’s nobody that moves better than Ronaldo. Movement and Positioning.
Then let’s go into “big game personality” argument. Take a look at Champions League knockout stages where the level rises and he doesn’t just participate, he escalates. Late goals, hat-tricks against elite opposition. The belief is simple, when the pressure is highest and everyone tightens up, Ronaldo becomes more decisive, not less. He’s inevitable. Mr Talk and Do.
Then there’s versatility in roles, not just longevity. He started as a flashy winger doing skills and beating players 1v1. Then became a penalty-box striker. Then a pure finisher. Then a header machine. Then a “give me one chance and I’ll score” player. Very few players completely reinvent themselves while staying world-class for over a decade.
Then there’s “repeatability.” Messi might give you genius moments that feel supernatural. But Ronaldo gives you certainty. Not magic every time, but guaranteed output. goals in different ways, against different opponents, under different managers. Left foot, right foot, header, tap-in, counterattack, no dependency on a single system or partner.
Then there’s international football, Messi had Argentina built around him with generations of elite talent eventually peaking together, while Ronaldo dragged Portugal through eras where the squad quality was not comparable to Spain, Brazil, France, etc. And still delivered trophies like Euro 2016 and Nations League, being the face of those runs.
Finally, the mentality argument, not just “he works hard,” He imposes himself on eras. Wherever football goes tactically, physically, or stylistically, he adapts and remains relevant at the top level. That’s why you’ll hear us say “he conquered football,” not just “he played well.”
There’s nobody born of Man that plays Football better than Cristiano Dos Santos Aveiro Ororo Ronaldo.
Figo more, he said he wants to build a team of superstars…and Figo was going to be the first. He said Figo should forget about the 30m, he should just come to Real Madrid, they were going to win everything.
Gaspert had also won the Barcelona presidential election. He said Figo called him at midnight and told him that he had two tickets from Lisbon, one to Barcelona and one to Real Madrid (don’t forget players were on holiday, it was summer, that’s the reason Figo was in Lisbon).
Figo told him to pledge on improving his contract, gave him a specific amount, something around this, but Gaspert said he can’t do such, and it’s even midnight (Figo denied saying that).
Figo then flew to Real Madrid next day to sign, the football world went crazy. Please watch the day Figo was unveiled as a Real Madrid player. He wasn’t even happy, he didn’t want to go, but he said Perez showed him that he had value, and Barcelona hierarchy were messing with him.
The video of Figo at Camp Nou is one of the most circulated video of betrayal in the football world. Barca hosted Madrid in a la Liga match. 100,000 people filled up Camp Nou, and it was against Luis Figo not even against Madrid.
They chanted all through the game. In fact, when Figo got off the bus, about 10 policemen had to guard him because the crowd were ready to burn him.
They made chants about his girlfriend being a whor£, they attacked his family, they printed notes of money with his face on it to show that he chose money, they labelled him a traitor. He had never seen such hate in his life. Till date, I don’t think any player has experienced such hate in their life by a fanbase.
Figo couldn’t take corner kicks, police men were on corner flags because the fans were throwing things, it was madness. Barcelona ended up winning that game again😭
Fast forward, Gaspert ended up being arguably the worst president in Barcelona’s history, because after Figo left, Barcelona went trophyless for about 5 years and Real Madrid were winning. In fact, Figo won the league in his first season at Madrid, won the champions league the next season, he won everything in that 5 years at Real Madrid.
He still lives in Madrid till date and says he does not regret leaving, and he didn’t leave to hurt the fans.
Crazy football stories for days mehn.
Real Madrid fans can debate players all day, but on the presidency, it’s simple:
Florentino Pérez delivered trophies.
Florentino Pérez delivered the Bernabéu.
Florentino Pérez delivered a winning future.
Enrique Riquelme is asking for trust. Pérez has already earned it.