The question of who the best player of all time is continues to be a contentious topic on five-a-side fields and bar stools around the world.
Who is the GOAT between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? It is the largest football controversy to arise since the “Diego Maradona or Pele?” controversy.
The debate over who is superior between the Argentine empyrean and the Portuguese phenomenon has preoccupied football fans’ minds for the past ten years and will continue to do so in the future.
Club and country allegiances can skew opinions, and personalities can affect how well a player is viewed, with most people having a clear idea of who they would choose.
So who is the best person that has ever lived? GOAL has examined how the two genuinely compare head-to-head so you can enter the never-ending conversation well informed, regardless of who you like.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Club goals
Just barely, Ronaldo has more club goals than Messi, though it should be noted that the Manchester United star has two more seasons of experience than his Argentine rival.
Over 690 club goals have been scored in total by each of them in their respective careers, with the five seasons between 2009–10 and 2014–15 proving especially fruitful as they encouraged one another to reach new heights.
While Ronaldo presently holds the advantage in terms of total goals, Messi has the advantage in terms of season average (37.9 to 35), having reached a high of 73 goals in 2011–12, however his average plummeted after a dismal first season with PSG in 2021–22.
Ronaldo’s highest season total was 61, which he attained in 2014–15. From 2010–11 to 2015–16, he consistently scored more than 50 goals.
Though Messi’s rate dropped after joining PSG, it’s interesting to note that while Ronaldo’s season totals have significantly decreased recently—he failed to surpass the 30-goal threshold in 2018–19 during his first season at Juventus—have Messi’s remained constant.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Club assists (Opta)
The difference between Messi and Ronaldo in terms of assists has grown significantly as their respective roles develop.
When selecting which player is the GOAT, the fact that Messi not only scores goals but also assists many of them is a key factor. Ronaldo also contributes his fair number of goals, but the gap in this area is glaring.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Champions League stats
Ronaldo has scored more goals than any other player in Champions League history. He excelled in the competition with Manchester United and Real Madrid, in particular.
There is a good chance that Messi, if he continues to shine in the competition, will surpass the Man United player because he isn’t far behind and actually has a slightly better goal-per-game ratio.
Having surpassed Iker Casillas, Ronaldo also holds the record for the most appearances in the Champions League overall.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: World Cup stats
Ronaldo and Messi are viewed as underachievers when it comes to World Cups for the simple reason that neither player has taken home the trophy.
The hero of Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo, has more goals and fewer appearances at the tournament, but Argentina’s Lionel Messi may claim to have advanced further after reaching the final in 2014. Despite losing out on the tournament’s grand prize to Germany, the PSG attacker awarded the Golden Ball.
The Selecao’s semi-final run in 2006, when they were defeated by France before losing the third-place play-off against Germany, was the furthest Ronaldo ever took Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: International stats
Messi and Ronaldo have comparable international histories, although Ronaldo boasts a larger number of victories, in part because his senior Portugal career began two years earlier than Messi’s with Argentina.
At Euro 2020, Ronaldo tied Ali Daei’s record of 109 goals for his country before breaking it with two goals against the Republic of Ireland to become the all-time leading scorer for the international team.
Although Messi recently surpassed the great Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer, he is far behind Ronaldo in that regard.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Titles
Both Messi and Ronaldo have impressive trophy collections, although Messi has a little advantage in league titles thanks to Barcelona’s 10 La Liga championships. Ronaldo has won seven league championships, but unlike Messi, he can lay claim to have done it in three distinct nations (England, Spain, and Italy). This, in some people’s opinion, strengthens his case for the GOAT title.
Because of his passion for the Champions League and his nickname “Mr. Champions League,” Ronaldo enjoys an advantage over Messi in that league. The Manchester United player has also achieved a great deal for Portugal on the international stage, winning the UEFA Nations League and the European Championship.
On the other hand, Messi has endured a great deal of heartache with Argentina, who have had four disastrous Copa America campaigns, three of which resulted in a loss in the championship game. Before going on to win the 2022 Finalissima, he ultimately won the Copa in 2021. Both haven’t won the World Cup, but Messi has a gold medal from the Olympics.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Individual awards
For the past ten years and more, Ronaldo and Messi’s duel has been the defining aspect of modern football.
When Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or in 2019, he overtook Ronaldo in the race and solidified his position as the winner in that category with his seventh in 2021.
Although Ronaldo has won more UEFA Player of the Year awards and FIFA’s new “The Best” awards, Messi has received more league Player of the Year honors. It goes without saying that Ronaldo has been recognised as Player of the Year in England, Spain, and Italy.
The fact that both players have appeared on the FIFPro World XI 14 times shows how closely contested the race has been. Messi has won the European Golden Shoe a record six times, two more than Ronaldo, and is marginally ahead of his rival overall.
