These are the goals which beated MU
In football there have always been players who crackle the imagination with just the mention of their name.
The surname is all that it takes to stir the blood. Pele, Puskas, Maradona, Eusebio, Cruyff, Best, Moore. Nothing else needed.
You know that associated with them was achievement and great occasions.
Tonight here in Rome at the Olympic Stadium two modern-day gladiators can light up the Champions League final.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will use this wonderful final between Manchester United and Barcelona to roll back the memories of all yesterday’s heroes.
Ronaldo, the World Footballer of the Year against Messi, the man who wants his crown.
Ronaldo – explosive pace, the quickest feet in the game, strong in the air and with the ability to score towering free-kicks. The most gifted attacking player in football.
Messi – the darting, smaller man, with the ability to change a game with a swerve of his body. His finishing is clinical, a little master.
This is what the Champions League final is about. Greatness.
Great is the most over-used word in football and yet we can hang it on these two superstars.
Tonight is about the two best players on this planet trying to outfox each other.
The pin-ups of today’s game. Two men who have every sponsor and advertising executive falling over themselves.
Ronaldo, 24, said: “When you are a boy, you dream of matches like this. You watch television and think, ‘I want that to be me’ and then when you arrive you feel just as excited.
“Last season I scored in the final and it was wonderful to win it.
“Now we must do it again and every player must treat this as the most important match of his life.
“I love to entertain and know that I have a special talent.
“I am the best player in the world and part of that honour is living with the pressure of proving it.”
Messi, 21 and younger than Ronaldo, said: “This is the most important game of my life. Everyone knows this is special.
“The whole world will be watching and it is games like this that makes everything worth while. I would love it to be a great final for football and this is not about two players, it is about two teams.
“I have always done well against English sides (although never scored against one) and my mind is racing at the prospect of doing well on such a stage.”
A comparison between the players comes from Gerard Pique, the Barcelona centre-half who spent last season at United.
“Ronaldo is the more complete player,” he said.
“He’s good in the air, has a great shot and is quick and strong.
“Messi is more decisive when he’s dribbling. He is also quick and creates chances on his own.
“It is hard to get the ball off them especially when they are doing their tricks.
“Messi keeps the ball close to him, waiting for the opening. Ronaldo runs and runs at you.
“Messi changes direction while Ronaldo hunts you down. Messi comes deeper for the ball and is more deceptive.”
The Argentinian has scored nine more goals this season than Ronaldo. Both players are matchwinners, both can conjure up magic from nothing.
Messi is valued at £130m in the transfer market – although has no intention of quitting the only club he has played for.
“Barcelona is my life,” he said. “It broke my heart to miss the 2006 final against Arsenal and I want to win this one with them, for them, so much.”
Ronaldo has admitted he now wants to stay at Old Trafford after more links with a £100m move Real Madrid. United without Ronaldo and Barcelona without Messi is unthinkable.
Ronaldo spends more on his clothes and cares about his hairstyle and how he looks. Messi has a slightly dishevelled look and features of a young Dustin Hoffman.
Messi will be marked by United’s Patrice Evra, who did such a good job on him last season, while Barcelona don’t have a first-choice left-back to look after Ronaldo after Eric Abidal was wrongly sent off against Chelsea in the semi final.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: “I’ll be surprised if Sylvinho (the former Arsenal player) doesn’t mark Ronaldo.
“Ronaldo is stronger than Messi physically although Messi has started to grow in strength in his upper body.
“They are both fantastic players who can create and score goals. When great players get to this level you are only talking about little details that separate them.
“Last year we depended on the speed of Evra to look after Messi and we will depend on him again. Evra is quick and a fantastic player.
“There will be times when there is nothing you can do when Messi attacks players and we must give these great players credit. You need luck when you plan against them.
“Let’s hope Messi falls over the ball when he is in a good position!
“We can plan against a lot of things and yet it is difficult to prevent everything happening.
“It is on the night that matters and you hope the man against you has an off day.”
Ronaldo and Messi are the first names that roll off the tongue when you start talking about tonight’s final. You don’t need to say anything else.
Tonight’s the night when every great player there has been in the history of the sport can nod their head with approval.
The names say it all. Nothing else needed.
By Brian Woolnough
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