5 similarities between WWE's Roman Reigns and PSG's Lionel Messi
Our grandfathers told us about Pele and Bruno Sammartino and our fathers told us about Diego Maradona and Hulk Hogan. Likewise, WWE's Roman Reigns and PSG's Lionel Messi (or John Cena and Man United's Cristiano Ronaldo depending on your preference) will be the subjects of tales told to our children.
What is undeniable is that all these greats are era-defining superstars who deserve to be in the "Greatest Of All Time" conversation of their respective trades.
Reigns and Messi have seen and done it all, both recently beginning to show signs of slowing down after prolonged career success. These generational stars, however, are both arguably still at the top of their trades, being the reigning Undisputed Universal Champion and Ballon d'Or holders respectively.
A close look at both men's careers reveals a number of intriguing similarities.
On that note, here are five similarities between WWE megastar Roman Reigns and PSG's iconic forward Lionel Messi.
#5: Roman Reigns and Lionel Messi both have a history of iconic trios
Roman Reigns broke out in WWE as a member of The Shield, together with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. The iconic trio dominated the industry together for almost two years before embarking on singles careers, where they continued to dominate individually.
With thirteen world championships between them in the two major promotions, they are widely regarded as one of the greatest factions in WWE history.
Similarly, Lionel Messi was part of the fabled MSN attacking trio with Neymar Jr. and Luis Suarez. The legendary threesome formed perhaps the scariest attack ever seen in world football, helping FC Barcelona win the treble in the 2014-15 season. They, too, have excelled after parting ways, winning more than eighty combined career trophies thus far.
#4: Both men beat career-threatening health problems
In late 2018, Roman Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship due to the re-emergence of leukemia, a condition he had beaten before signing for WWE. He returned in early 2019 to a huge ovation from the crowd, announcing that he was in remission. He hasn't looked back since, growing from strength to strength.
Lionel Messi's condition, on the other hand, almost ended his career before it began. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency aged 10, and had to undergo growth hormone treatment to rectify the condition. Considering that he has since become arguably the greatest player to ever grace a football pitch, it's safe to say that he, too, hasn't looked back.
These two truly possess the grit that champions are made of.
#3: Both are highly respected but greatly polarizing figures due to intense rivalries
Roman Reigns is a six-time WWE champion and is arguably the biggest full-time draw in the entire business today. On the other hand, Lionel Messi has more than 1100 direct goal involvements to his name. They are bankable stars who rise to the occasion almost every time they step into their respective arenas to perform.
However, there are fans of the duo's respective art forms who know how good they are, but will never admit to the same due to intense rivalries. Many fans of Messi's eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo cannot publicly sing La Pulga's praises for fear of losing football's "G.O.A.T" debate. Similarly, professional wrestling fans who prefer AEW to WWE do not fully buy into Reigns' appeal.
Both men, however, are largely afforded great respect by rival fans for the immortal moments they have created over the years.
#2: Both are the most decorated athletes of their generations in their respective trades
Roman Reigns is the most decorated WWE Superstar of his generation. With six world title reigns (no pun intended), including the longest in almost forty years and six WrestleMania main events, none of The Tribal Chief's peers are as decorated.
Additionally, he currently holds the two biggest prizes in sports entertainment, having held the Universal and WWE championships for almost 800 combined days.
This draws parallels with Lionel Messi, who is a record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner with eleven league titles and thirty-six career trophies. He has pulled away from career rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d'Or and European Golden Shoe race at the tail end of their careers, and looks set to retire with more of each honor.
The question of who is better will forever be in contention, but in terms of silverware, the PSG magician has a clear edge.
#1: Both PSG's Lionel Messi and WWE's Roman Reigns have drawn comparisons to all-time greats of their art
Since Lionel Messi burst onto the scene in late 2005, he has been compared to another iconic Argentinian forward, Diego Maradona. The similarities in playing styles between the two left-footed superstars have been on show for years, with Messi often recreating some of Maradona's best goals. The PSG star is widely regarded as the 1986 World Cup hero's natural successor.
Similarly, Roman Reigns has often been compared to another Samoan-born WWE icon, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The Head Of The Table sports a similar tribal tattoo to his real-life cousin, and has incorporated some of The Great One's moves into his in-ring arsenal. A clash between the two alpha males of the Anoa'i family remains one of the most anticipated dream matches in the business today.
It's safe to say that the pair have carried the heavy burden of being compared to legends with grace as they carve out their own legacies.