It seems as though Lionel Messi has got Cristiano Ronaldo where he wants him.

Sure, Ronaldo has the advantage of winning more international trophies than his rival once again, but Messi has emerged victorious in just about every statistic under the sun in 2019.

As a result, despite Messi suffering Champions League and Copa del Rey heartache, it seems as though he's in with a much better chance of winning FIFA's 'The Best' award and the Ballon d'Or.

It actually looks likely that Virgil van Dijk will collect both awards, but just because he's enjoyed a better 2019, it doesn't mean that the hottest debate is anything short of Ronaldo vs Messi.

Football fans have spent the last decade and a half trying to settle the argument and their different styles of play often makes it a case of sheer subjectivity.

Ronaldo vs Messi

There are so many ways you can approach the question and one of the most interesting is by looking at EA Sports' FIFA series, which is forced to cast their own opinion every year.

And after a few editions of Ronaldo and Messi sharing the exact same rating, early 'leaks' from FIFA 20 suggest that the Juventus man has been downgraded to 93 and below his biggest rival.

However, before the exact ratings are confirmed for definite, we've decided to breakdown FIFA's decision process to the minutia and want to explore every in-game statistic they assess.

Every single attribute

Going into the challenge blind and completely disregarding the choices from FIFA 19, here are our predictions for who will be rated highest for each and every data-set on the game. Check it out:

Pace

Acceleration: Cristiano Ronaldo

Sprint speed: Cristiano Ronaldo

Shooting

Positioning: Cristiano Ronaldo

Finishing: Lionel Messi

Shot power: Cristiano Ronaldo

Long shots: Lionel Messi

Volleys: Cristiano Ronaldo

Penalties: Cristiano Ronaldo

Passing

Vision: Lionel Messi

Crossing: Lionel Messi

Free kick: Lionel Messi

Short passing: Lionel Messi

Long passing: Lionel Messi

Curve: Lionel Messi

Dribbling

Agility: Cristiano Ronaldo

Balance: Lionel Messi

Reactions: Cristiano Ronaldo

Ball control: Lionel Messi

Dribbling: Lionel Messi

Composure: Lionel Messi

Defence

Interceptions: Cristiano Ronaldo

Heading: Cristiano Ronaldo

Marking: Cristiano Ronaldo

Standing tackle: Cristiano Ronaldo

Sliding tackle: Cristiano Ronaldo

Physical

Jumping: Cristiano Ronaldo

Stamina: Cristiano Ronaldo

Strength: Cristiano Ronaldo

Aggression: Cristiano Ronaldo

Final score: Cristiano Ronaldo 17-12 Lionel Messi

There's a reason why Ronaldo is referred to as the ultimate footballer.

Sure, some of the statistics are absolute landslide victories for Messi and he completed a whitewash in the passing category, but Ronaldo comes into his own with the physical side of the game.

And that's where, despite neither player being great defensively, he takes the victories by just having a more rounded game in terms of tackling, marking and interceptions. 

Certain categories like agility and positioning could swing either way but if you disagree, then be thankful that our say isn't final and that EA still have a few days to fuss over their big verdict.