The definitive account of the world-shaping rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and their ongoing competition to be the greatest football player of all time.
A Financial Times Sports Book of the Year 2018 pick
The rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi has defined football for a generation of fans. Everyone has an opinion on who is the greatest.
Do you prefer Ronaldo, whose work ethic and physique have been honed for one purpose - scoring goals? Or Messi, whose superhuman natural talent means he can do the seemingly impossible with a football?
Between them they have scored over 1,300 goals, won the Ballon d'Or ten times and taken the beautiful game to even greater heights. But statistics alone cannot do justice to their skill, athleticism and dedication to stay at the top of one of the most competitive sports in the world for so long.
Cristiano & Leo tells their definitive story, from children kicking a ball halfway around the world from each other to going head to head in the epic El Clásico clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona. This is the essential book to understand one of the most compelling rivalries in sporting history.
'A thoroughly researched dual biography by the great Jimmy Burns' Simon Kuper, author of Soccernomics
'I am eating up this book. The verve with which Burns writes about the power politics and rich supporting characters like Florentino and Ferguson makes it a captivating read' Richard Fitzpatrick, author of El Clásico: Barcelona v Real Madrid, Football's Greatest Rivalry
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Section - i: Prologue Chapter - 1: Madeira Chapter - 2: Rosario Chapter - 3: Rites of Passage: Ronaldo Chapter - 4: Little Big Man: Messi Chapter - 5: Lisbon Star: Ronaldo Chapter - 6: Growing Pains: Messi Chapter - 7: Into the Market: Ronaldo Chapter - 8: The Dwarf: Messi Chapter - 9: The Red Legacy: Ronaldo Chapter - 10: International Break - Euro Blues: Ronaldo Chapter - 11: First Team Calling: Messi Chapter - 12: Manchester Days: Ronaldo Chapter - 13: The Rise of the Hobbit: Messi Chapter - 14: International Break - Diego's Shadow: Messi Chapter - 15: World Cup Trauma: Ronaldo the Winker Chapter - 16: Kicking On: Ronaldo Chapter - 17: The New Maradona: Messi Chapter - 18: Close Encounters: Messi vs Ronaldo Chapter - 19: Ronaldinho's Farewell: Messi Chapter - 20: Euro 2008: Ronaldo Under Pressure Chapter - 21: International Break - The Beijing Olympics and Maradona Chapter - 22: Centre Stage: Ronaldo Chapter - 23: The Guardiola Revolution: Messi Chapter - 24: Goodbye Old Trafford, Hello Bernabéu: Ronaldo Chapter - 25: Untouchable: Messi Chapter - 26: International Break - World Cup 2010: Messi Chapter - 27: World Cup 2010: Ronaldo Chapter - 28: Enter Mourinho Chapter - 29: Clásicos: Ronaldo and Messi Chapter - 30: Mourinho Strikes Back Chapter - 31: International Break - Euro 2012: Ronaldo Chapter - 32: Life after Pep and with Mourinho: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 33: King Cristiano; Black Dog Messi Chapter - 34: International Break - World Cup Disappointment, National Embarrassment: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 35: Enrique vs Ancelotti Chapter - 36: International Break - The 2016 Copa América: Messi Chapter - 37: Rebuilding: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 38: International Break - Euro 2016: Ronaldo the Manager Chapter - 39: On Trial: Messi Chapter - 40: Legends: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 41: Conclusion Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements Section - iii: Bibliography Section - iv: Notes Index - v: Index
