Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Who played better in their El Clasico games together?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are winding down their careers.

As strong of a statement as that might sound for two players who make the entire ageing process seem like a myth, the reality of the situation is that neither superstar is occupying their prime any longer.

Don’t get it twisted, that doesn’t mean that they’re in any way playing poorly because – frankly – they could be about 50 lightyears away from their peak and still play better than near enough every footballer on the planet.

But all that being said, even the most ardent of Messi and Ronaldo fans would have to hold their hands up and admit that the 2021/22 season has proven a step backwards for them both.

Yes, Ronaldo has still been phenomenal as the second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League, but his overall tally of 23 strikes is nevertheless a downgrade from the 36 that he amassed in 2020/21.

Similarly, there have been question marks raised about the performances of Messi at the Parc des Princes with his paltry total of four goals in Ligue 1 proving seriously out of character.

It’s a sad reality that can’t help but make us feel nostalgic for the days when Messi and Ronaldo were hoovering up Ballon d’Or trophies like they were going out of fashion and smashing home 50 goals a season.

And what makes our yearning for those heady days all the stronger is that the two GOAT contenders shared a division back then as they flew the flag for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Obviously, now, Messi has moved to Paris Saint-Germain and Ronaldo has cycled through Juventus and Manchester United in a merry-go-round that means clashes between the two completely hinge upon Champions League draws.

But back in the dizzy days between 2009 and 2018, football fans had the