Judging Messis and Ronaldos scoring ability in different situations according to the model

Abstract

In the past decade, two players have overshadowed others in soccer. Who is better, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, has been debated for over a decade. Unlike basketball, the low-scoring nature of soccer dictates that one usually cannot visually conclude the game. Most people discuss who shines in terms of statistics, but there is no way to know the goal-scoring preferences of either man. This paper explores the goal-scoring ability of the two men in different situations to prove who is more complete based on the goal-scoring records of the 2020-2021 season and the data required for expected goals (xG). The study results prove that Messi is more dominant with long-range shots, and Ronaldo scores goals in all visible ranges. This paper introduces a new method of comparing Messi and Ronaldo and uses it as an example to develop a comparison that applies to all players.