The Messi and Ronaldo show

Posted Wednesday, May 18, 2011 by ESPN

Yet, to his immense credit, Ronaldo hasn't let any of this affect his performance on the pitch. Indeed, I wrote here at the start of this season that Ronaldo's critics often give me intense frustration because of ill founded and ill advised suppositions about him. This season he has been sensational. Again.

For Ronaldo, the matches since being knocked out of the Champions League have been like the moment when an angry jungle animal is freed from chains -- all muscle, sinew, teeth and claws. The rage and previous impotence have been transformed into a demonstration of power and dominance.

But his goal-scoring record has come under a bit of controversial scrutiny. Marca, the Madrid-based newspaper that awards the Pichichi, decided earlier this season that Ronaldo's deflected free kick off of Pepe's back against Real Sociedad was CR-7's goal nonetheless. So Marca credits him with 39 goals, one more than the legendary Hugo Sanchez and Telmo Zarra who, together, have shared the record since the Mexican equaled the Basque striker in 1990.

Everyone else says Ronaldo only has 38. Only?

It is a remarkable achievement. Had Ronaldo been badly injured earlier in the season, Barcelona would have had the title wrapped up in February, instead of a couple weekends ago. Yes, he likes being the best and sees no shame in it. Ronaldo also knows that because he wants to win the Pichichi and is honest enough to admit that, he provides more ammunition to his critics who love nothing more than to call him selfish.

Rubbish. Ronaldo's attitude to football matches Mourinho's -- a relentless winning mentality, discipline in training and a hunger to practice and improve all the time. If his teammates possessed that approach to their daily work, to winning, and to smashing any obstacles, then Los Blancos would truly be a force.

As it is, Ronaldo will have one more game to try and erase any doubt over whether he has broken the all-time Spanish league goalscoring record for a season. Look out, Almeria, when you face Real at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

Then, like the majority of the world, Ronaldo will have to settle down on his sofa to watch the Champions League final the following weekend. It won't be a fun night for him. Sure, if his friends and former teammates defeat Barca, there will be great relief. But just as Messi hates missing out on even a second of competitive football, Ronaldo can't bear not being a part of the great soccer occasions.

Di Salvo once told me, "Cristiano genuinely wants to earn the right to be considered as the best player of all time."

That's not achievable unless you are racking up Champions League titles, World Cup finals, European Championship medals and so on.

So the real goal for this powerful, proud Portuguese is not the Pichichi. What lies ahead for Ronaldo is letting Mourinho and Real Madrid know that if he, personally, keeps his standards this high next season, they must match him. No more hiding from Barcelona. Real must follow a blueprint of all-out pursuit when it comes to attacking football -- starting with the two Clasico matches in the SuperCup which are now only three months away.

But Ronaldo has room for improvement, too. He's got to find a way to score more goals on the big occasions -- and not just run-of-the-mill matches -- for both club and country. He needs to produce goals at Camp Nou, goals if his national team qualifies for the Euro Championship in Poland and Ukraine, goals if he should reach the Champions League final.

What a time we live in. Messi and Ronaldo have scored 103 times between them, led their sides in an intense season-long battle and will still have the La Liga finale and Champions League final to come. And given that the two men are 23 and 26, respectively, Madrid is growing into a better balanced, more talented unit and Barca are considered to be capable of the best football of all time, I can't wait to discover what the new season will have for us.

More of this battle between two, very different geniuses, please. Lots and lots more.

Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team. You can reach him on Twitter at twitter.com/BumperGraham.

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