Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who is Better? Stats, Goals and Trophies (2024)

Messi is playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) and Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League (SPL).

Messi or Ronaldo - Who is best? It is an impossible question to answer in the Football world. Football fans worldwide have been making subjective analyses for years over who is best. But it is never going to help solve this mystery, even though they both are legendary football players with very distinct personalities.Both are all-time leading scorers for their individual national teams.

While some believe Lionel Messi is the world’s best player, you can never write off the Portuguese ‘One Man Army.’ Over the past decade, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have racked up the most individual awards, despite now being 38 years and 36 years, respectively. But the question remains: Which one in this fierce professional rivalry comes out on top and why? Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo? Or is it even viable comparing them? Let’s find out.

Messi vs Ronaldo Stats and Comparison of Goal, Trophies

Lionel MessiCristiano Ronaldo
NationalityArgentinaPortugal
ClubInter MiamiAl-Nassr
International Appearances180205
International Goals106128
International Trophies32
Club Appearances867999
Club Goals715745
Club Trophies3932
Hat tricks5763
Ballon d’Or85

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Ronaldo vs Messi: Early Struggle and Youth Career

As a kid born and raised in central Argentina, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. After relocating to Spain and joining Barcelona at age 13, the club agreed to pay for his treatment. Since then, the kid has not looked back. From making his competitive debut at age 17 to winning his first Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Player of the Year Award at 22, the young Argentine was in the limelight at the very early stages of his career.

His counterpart, ‘Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro,’ was born in the islands of Madeira in a poor family where ends meet was their daily struggle. Ronaldo was diagnosed with a racing heart at the age of 15. After undergoing a successful operation, young Ronaldo joined Sporting CP to kick start his senior club career before joining Manchester United in 2003, aged 18. He helped the team win three consecutive Premier League titles before winning the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the Year at the age of 23.

In the battle of Messi vs Ronaldo: To date, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award a record 8 times while on the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has won 5 times.

Ronaldo vs Messi: Style of Play

Messi and Ronaldo differ primarily in their style of play. The Argentine is a virtuoso, a magician with the ball at his feet. Short in stature, he has a low center of gravity, helping him switch lines and increase his pace. It usually is a nightmare for defenders as they cannot cope with the quick turn of speed. Along with this, his dribbling skills are among the best the game has ever seen. Another eye-catching attribute of his game is his passing and shooting.

The Portuguese, on the other hand, is a bit different. One would say he doesn't possess the same magic Messi does. However, Ronaldo is tall, strong, and athletic. With Ronaldo on the ground, the game becomes faster, stronger, physical, and more dynamic than ever. Ronaldo's combination of physical and technical attributes might give him an edge over in this Ronaldo vs Messi battle. Ronaldo is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Also read:Best Football Player in World

Ronaldo vs Messi: ‘Talent’ vs ’Hard work’

One of the main debatable topics while comparing these legends is Messi's 'Talent' vs Ronaldo's 'Hard work.' Ronaldo, a very skinny boy in his early days, has shown the world how hard work and determination lead to an amazing and unexpected transformation. In today's time, the Portuguese is one of the fittest footballers in the world.

Messi's physical attributes of being a direct runner, good in the air, and minimum time on the sidelines is something to envy. In his early days, the Argentine wasn't the best at taking free kicks. But, over the years, he has become the best free-kick taker and playmaker in the world.

On the whole, there's no talent without hard work, and no hard work without talent. Uncompromised hard work, dedication, and talent make a player great, and that separates these giants from the rest of the footballing crowd and makes them one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Also read:Who is the god of football?

Conclusion: Who is better Messi or Ronaldo?

It isn't easy to conclude this Ronaldo vs Messi debate or comparison because there shouldn't be one. We should be blessed to live in an era where we can watch two of the greatest players ever to grace the pitch and go neck to neck against each other. Succeeding individually and with their respective teams while having supremely different styles of play is what makes them great.

Both these players are a blessing to the individuals playingfantasy football leagues. Goals and assists for a striker are the bread and butter in terms of fantasy football points.

FAQ’s

Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo?

Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (8). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.

Who is No 1 Messi or Ronaldo?

Messi has won more titles, majorly with Barcelona, than Ronaldo. Messi played for arguably the best Barcelona side to ever play the game. At the same time, Ronaldo took his talent and skills to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus to achieve success and win trophies.

Who is the Goat Of Football?

Deciding the GOAT of football is a matter of continuous debate, but in recent years, the argument has narrowed to one of two players: Ronaldo or Messi. Every football expert or fan has their own opinion on whether Messi or Ronaldo should be the GOAT of football.

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who is Better? Stats, Goals and Trophies (2024)

FAQs

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who is Better? Stats, Goals and Trophies? ›

Messi is the all-time La Liga top scorer, as well as having the most assists in the competition's history – with Ronaldo in second for goals scored and in fourth for assists provided – while Ronaldo is the UEFA Champions League all-time top appearance maker, goalscorer and assist provider, with Messi in third for ...

Who has better goals Messi or Ronaldo? ›

When Messi's spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami are factored in, along with Ronaldo's stints with Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, Juventus and Al Nassr, the Argentine has scored 821 career goals, 52 fewer than Ronaldo, currently on 873.

What trophies has Messi won that Ronaldo hasn't? ›

Ronaldo vs. Messi: Trophies & awards
HonourMessiRonaldo
Olympics10
Ballons d'Or75
FIFA World Player of the Year11
The Best FIFA Men's Player22
6 more rows
Feb 1, 2024

How many times has Messi beaten Ronaldo? ›

Messi leads the head-to-head record with 16 wins in competitive matches to Ronaldo's 11, while there have been nine draws.

Who is the best player in football history? ›

Top 10 Football Players Of All Time:
  1. Lionel Messi (Argentina): 42 trophies and 802 goals. ...
  2. Pele (Brazil): 26 trophies and 767 goals. ...
  3. Diego Maradona (Argentina): 12 trophies and 353 goals. ...
  4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 34 trophies and 819 goals. ...
  5. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands): 22 trophies and 433 goals.
Dec 8, 2023

Who has more trophies, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

They are two of the most decorated footballers ever, having won a combined 79 official trophies (Messi 44, Ronaldo 35) during their senior careers thus far, and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a single season.

How many trophies has Messi won? ›

He has scored 833 goals for club and country throughout his professional career and is also the first and only player in history to win five and six European Golden Shoes. During his football career, he won 44 collective trophies.

Who is richer, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

For Ronaldo, his huge social media following, Nike CR7 brand and sponsorships deals with likes of Tag Heuer, EA Sports and Sacoor Brothers have helped him amass an estimated fortune of $450 million. Messi, on the other hand, is worth just less than his old foe - an estimated $400m.

Who is goat, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Messi beats Ronaldo to GOAT status after data analysis, says Liverpool FC's research director. The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has riveted football pundits and primary schoolchildren alike, fuelling endless debates over who is the greatest player of modern times – or ever.

Who is faster, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

If we compare Messi and Ronaldo's average speed, we can see that Messi is more involved in the game. Messi has an average speed of 23 km/h and Ronaldo has an average speed of 22 km/h. They are close, but Messi has a slight edge.

Why is Messi better than Ronaldo? ›

But the major difference, statistically at least, is that Messi has played over 100 fewer games than his rival – not a surprise given he is two years younger than the Portuguese icon. And when it comes to goals or assists per game or per minute, Messi boasts a superior record.

Who has more fans, Ronaldo or Messi? ›

Although Ronaldo has more followers, Messi holds the world record for the most likes on a single post. Messi's record-breaking post - which has been liked more than 75 million times to date - was uploaded after the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.

Will Ronaldo play the 2026 World Cup? ›

The next World Cup may be three years away, but Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly plans to take part in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. He has apparently told Al Nassr that he'd like to extend his contract with the club until at least the beginning of 2027, when he is expected to hang up his boots.

Who is the richest player in the world? ›

Faik Bolkiah ($20 billion)

Faike Bolkiah is at the top among the richest footballers in the world. Yes, he is the richest footballer in the world.

Who is great Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (8). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.

Who is the most famous footballer? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most famous in football history and is a notable goal scorer. In 2003, he joined Manchester United. He is considered the best football player in the world . He scored 450 goals in 438 matches According to reports, he was the club's finest player in its entire history in Europe.

Who has more fans, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

The Portuguese forward has some 593 million followers on his personal accounts, with the Argentine having 375 million followers in total. Messi's total is down due to the fact he doesn't have a Twitter account. The findings come from UEFA, who include social media on their yearly football benchmark report.

Who has more golden boots, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Lionel Messi is the all time record winner of the award, having won it six times overall.

How many goals has Messi? ›

A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals (474), hat-tricks (36), and assists in La Liga (192). He has the most international goals by a South American male (106). Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club and country, and the most goals for a single club (672).

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