Cristiano ronaldo is a great player, and if Messi were not playing football, he could be considered the best footie player. Cristiano is a hard worker, but his attittude makes some people hate him (me included) and he plays too much the role of a star (and that of a diver). Messi may not do tv ads in underwear, but he's one of those players that define a full generation (or many) and make history. One of those players that arise only every 20 years if we're lucky.
To me he's already at the same level than Cruyff, Pele or Maradona. Yes, he lacks a world cup, but blame Maradona for that. Messi did what he could in a total mess of a NT.
To rate him as he deserves (at the top of the top, alongside the other football gods) you have to watch him live. Really, watch this guy play live and you'll understand everything. Everywhere he goes people ends up admiring him and in awe. When you see that guy at full pelt, turning in a dime with the ball being part of his feet... I have no words, I had never seen anything like it.
At his 23 years he's won everything being the absolute star of the team, scoring nearly 40 goals per season without being a striker (like the good old "10s" he plays everywhere, wherever he sees right to be). Oh, and giving about 15-20 assists per year, so more assists than Xavi, for example.
And if you see a collection of his goals and lpays so far, he's got more material than most of the other stars full-career hilghlights combined.
Let's hope he carries on humble as he is and with that "amateur" love for the sport, which is what, in my oppinion, makes him different than the rest. He's a boy playing football in the park dribbling all his friends to win the match. Only there's 100.000 people watching him play in the park.