Cristiano Ronaldo vs Raheem Sterling: As Liverpool face Real Madrid and the young pretender takes on the world's greatest, how did the flying forwards measure up at 19?

Style

At 19, Ronaldo was all scissor-turns and step-overs. He still is, of course, only now he invariably sticks the ball in the back of the net after such pageantry.

Sterling is already more direct, the tricks and flicks which characterised his game at 17 having made way for a more instinctive approach.

Both, of course, catch the eye with what is an increasingly rare ability to weave between defenders, leaving opponents in their wake and so exciting observers.

Stature

Don't forget, Ronaldo was once a 'skinny kid'. Only later did he develop the world's most recognisable – and muscle bound – torso. At 19 there was accusation that he toppled too easily and suspicion remained about his suitability for the Premier League.

Sterling's strength belies his diminutive size and it is said he has few rivals when it comes to bench-pressing in the gym at Melwood. Opponents bounce off him in often comical fashion having under-estimated his power.

Mentality

Ronaldo in action for United against Arsenal in 2004 

Roy Keane spoke glowingly of a teenage Ronaldo's mindest and attitude in his recent book. And it is that focus and determination which has allowed him to maximise his abilities.

Forget physical attributes, it is – and always has been – Ronaldo's mental strength which tears him apart from the rest.

Sterling, of course, has not been without his off-field distractions. They can be forgiven for one so young, but failure to learn from such will only hinder his progress on the pitch.

How badly he wants to emulate the achievements of Ronaldo will ultimately determine his success.

The Numbers

And so to the stats. Sterling, six weeks shy of his 20th birthday, has already made 68 Premier League appearances.

Ronaldo was still 20, but a little older, by the time he reached that mark.

But this, we feel, is fair ground for comparison…

Goals

Ronaldo 9 Sterling 14

The Liverpool forward returned an impressive nine last season and already has three from five this time around.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, made a slower start in front of the posts and only managed a total of nine during his first two campaigns.

Shot conversion rate

Ronaldo 6% Sterling 19.4%

Ronaldo loves to shoot, he always has. But 10 years ago a staggering 94 per cent of his efforts failed to go in. Sterling fares far better, one in five of his strikes locating the back of the net.

Even Sterling's shooting accuracy (56.9 per cent), outdoes Ronaldo (41.7 per cent).

Assists (chances created)

Ronaldo 8 (90) Sterling 9 (112)

Sterling edges the goal assists by one, but perhaps he should look to his Liverpool team-mates for reason as to why that figure is not higher having laid on 112 chances.

Dribbles completed

Ronaldo 182 Sterling 165

What makes the pair so exciting is their willingness to get at opponents and Ronaldo boasts slightly better numbers in this respect.

Sterling edges a young Ronaldo in goal assists 

Win percentage

Ronaldo 58.8% Sterling 55.9%

Football, of course, is ultimately about winning matches. And it is Ronaldo who helped Manchester United to more victories during his early years, although only just.

Verdict

The raw numbers have Sterling slightly ahead of Ronaldo at this juvenile juncture. But what the Portugal forward has gone on to achieve is sensational. He has, as alluded to at the top, reformulated football.

Sterling can have no better role model, no better target to chase down.

On Wednesday night, at Anfield, his idol becomes an adversary - there is no better stage for the boy to outshine the man he one day wishes to emulate.