However, Messi, has recently signed a new contract with FC Barcelona, his beloved club.
Messi and Ronaldo have name recognition and brand recognition on their side, as do their clubs.
The most significant absentee was Messi, with whom any Barcelona miracle would have had to begin.
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Sanchez opened the scoring in the 13th minute after being put through by Lionel Messi.
If Lionel Messi had executed that piece of skill, everybody would have be raving about it.
The technical wizardry of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo may inspire lust.
Lionel Messi set the tone with a run that sliced Arsenal apart in the opening seconds.
Xavi then almost doubled Barcelona's lead with a 20-yard free-kick following Vidic's foul on Messi.
Messi's quiet evening wasn't an accident his influence was tirelessly snuffed out by an organized Milan defense.
The stature in the U.S. of Messi and Ronaldo is stunning considering their global standing.
FORBES: Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi Rule The World, But Not The U.S.
Messi agreed the contract at the end of last year but has only just signed it.
Just last month, Pele described him as "much better" and "more complete" than Messi.
Leo Messi failed to score as Argentina claimed a 3-2 win over Sweden in Stockholm.
Messi leveled with a penalty six minutes before halftime after Valencia's goalscorer Evar Banega fouled Pedro.
Despite his tender age, Messi has amassed a staggering collection of trophies and records.
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Barcelona have successfully lobbied for Messi to be rested, having reluctantly released him for the Olympics.
Messi has already scored 26 goals in the first 17 games of this league season.
Would it work at a club that didn't have Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta to execute it?
"Messi went back into midfield because we wanted to be superior in possession, " Guardiola said.
Because it featured Messi and Barcelona versus Manchester United, the other darlings of the club soccer world.
Yeom paid the price when Argentina counter-attacked, and after Messi's shot hit the post Higuain tapped in.
Most of the people insisted that Pele and Maradona were above Messi and far above all others.
Lionel Messi equalized with a penalty just after the hour mark after Raul Albiol had been fouled.
Ronaldo, who is outscored in Europe's top five leagues only by Lionel Messi, can afford not to.
Messi escaped the attentions of Arjen Robben, but was halted by a clumsy challenge by Chelsea's Spanish defender.
Yet off-the-field Messi cannot match the more glamorous duo of Beckham and Ronaldo when it comes to earnings.
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All the time Messi sat glumly on the bench as the task became hopeless even for his genius.
Crowds packed out the 120, 000-capacity Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata for a glimpse of Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi.
Barca hope to have Messi back for that match, as his injury is not as bad as feared.
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Ronaldo (55 million) and Messi (43 million) have by far the most Facebook fans of any athlete.
FORBES: Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi Rule The World, But Not The U.S.
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