Lionel Messi A Better All-Around Player Than Cristiano Ronaldo Says Galatasaray Star

The impact of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has changed the sport with how they’ve set the standard for excellence. Their brilliance has often spurred a debate on who the better player is on the field and Galatasaray star Arda Turan says it’s Messi over Ronaldo.

There are several points to consider when engaging in a Messi-Ronaldo debate. It can be approached from accolades won throughout their career or to the overall playing style of the two athletes. There’s no question that both icons are currently among the most successful players in the world.

But for Turan, he mentions that it’s Messi’s all-around style that stands out, thus giving him the edge in the comparison.

"Messi is present in every moment of football. He can dictate the game in every aspect," Turan said by way of Goal.com.

The way Messi moves on the pitch is elite and has led to a stellar stint in Barcelona. For the Argentinean legend, he’s won the prestigious Balon d'Or for a record of six times throughout his career.

"There's nothing bad to say about Ronaldo but he's a goalscorer, albeit a very special one. Messi does everything in this game. He does things you can't even imagine to do. His intelligence, his vision, his passing are all much different. And every person I have talked to about this agrees with me,” Turan continued.

In 730 appearances for Barca, he’s tallied 634 goals and 285 assists that can be attributed to the multiple titles he’s won as the team’s star. Among 33 of his professional trophies, accomplishments such as 10 La Liga championships and four Champions League titles stand out as one of his top achievements.

"Except the people who are close to Ronaldo, his teammates, who say it's Ronaldo as they answer politically. Ronaldo is my friend and it's not my place to question his quality. But I think Messi is better,” Turan added.

With everything that Messi has done as a professional football player, Ronaldo has also come up with a similar path. The illustrious career of the Portuguese superstar has made it for an interesting argument on who the greatest of all time is. The fact that Ronaldo has also been recognized as the best player of the year multiple times boasting five Balon D’Or awards, adds more fuel to the comparisons between Messi.

It will be interesting to see where these two will stand when everything is all said and done. While there are countless points thrown in the Messi-Ronaldo conversation, one thing for certain is that these two have left a great impact on the sport.