The world of Sports has never been crazier than the last three decades. Football, as a game has emerged splendidly into it and has produced legends like Pele and Maradona. Flipping through the pages of glorious history, we see two other prominent names; Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo De Lima, who have stood out and shone throughout the past. Looking back at the same fields where several other football stars have competed and skilfully used their magic of foot work, there stand the two magnificent and most celebrated legends, Zidane and Ronaldo.
It is next to almost impossible to compare the two finest footballers in the same era and settle for one in the end. There will always be heated debates and inconclusive arguments about their sparkling careers. They played both against and with each other on various occasions and even though both are inherently dissimilar but are said to be the best players of time.
Zinedine Zidane is the French Midfield footballer who is unarguably famous for his thoughtful and elegant game. He is methodical and graceful rather than mighty powerful instinctual player. On the other hand, Ronaldo De Lima, the Brazilian superstar, is claimed to be the best striker in last 20 years. He is strong, prolific and has 44 goals in countless games during his debut season with Cruzeiro in Brazil. He has played 97 international games and his magnificent performances in most of them took him to be on top of the favorite footballer list by fans. Whereas, Zidane is the controller of the game, his well processed thoughts and strategies are some of the few characteristics that has lead him to be called one of the best soccer players. He scored 3 goals in the World Cup final of 1998, taking France to the pinnacle of success for the first time in football history. His consistency, pace and strength is extraordinary and is admired by his team mates. He further came to the top ranking of 2004 poll to be determined as the greatest European player of the century. Similarly, Ronaldo is strong and fast, even though he faced a tragic injury in a collision with Barthez, the French keeper, he did not give up and came back with a bang in the World Cup of 2002, where he scored 2 goals. That year, he won Laureus come back of the year honor and won FIFA World Player. He is mostly referred “The Phenomenon”.
The two players are fundamentally different in nature but they belong to the same era so they are doomed to be compared. With all the pros and cons, accomplishments, long and short lived careers, the brilliant goals and the honors they both have received it is really difficult to draw a conclusion. Ronaldo’s power, instinctive nature and speed has no match, likewise, Zidane’s refined and thoughtful passing, sophistication and delicacy along with peace in football are incomparable. As young as a 19-21 year old boy, Ronaldo shone bright and touched zenith whereas, aged footballer as unbelievably skilful as Zidane, is hard to find in coming years. To me, they both are clearly preeminent players of three decades; Zidane is the remarkable midfielder while Ronaldo is finest striker.
