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? ›

International football

Argentina star Messi has scored 106 goals in 178 international appearances – both all-time records for his nation. With 127 goals in 203 games for Portugal, Ronaldo holds both the all-time men's records for international appearances and goals.

Who is statistically better, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

International football

Argentina star Messi has scored 106 goals in 178 international appearances – both all-time records for his nation. With 127 goals in 203 games for Portugal, Ronaldo holds both the all-time men's records for international appearances and goals.

Who has more the best 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.

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 better at free kicks, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Messi has scored three more free-kick goals than his long-time rival Ronaldo in his career.

How many trophies has Messi won? ›

Until 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League four times. With his country, he won the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Who is better at dribbling, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Lionel Messi has completed nearly twice as many dribbles as his nearest rival in the last 17 years, but Cristiano Ronaldo languishes in sixth…

Who has more golden ball Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times, while five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo has earned the most nominations with eighteen.

Who is the most successful player in football history? ›

1) Lionel Messi - 44 trophies

Messi's magic conjured up 33 trophies for Barcelona across an era that will perhaps forever be viewed as the game's benchmark, before extending PSG's dominance in Ligue 1. There was also the small matter of inspiring his country to World Cup glory in 2022.

Has Ronaldo won a World Cup? ›

Sadly, Ronaldo has 0 World Cups but I feel if Messi can play in 2026 , Ronaldo will play the 2026 World Cup and win it.

Who is rich, Messi or Mbappé? ›

Messi's combined earnings from his former club Paris Saint-Germain and current side Inter Miami is estimated to be around $135m (£111m/€128m). The Argentine is closely followed by his former PSG team-mates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe who earn $112m (£92m/€106m) and $110m (£90m/€104m) respectively in wages annually.

Who is richer, Ronaldo or Mbappé? ›

Cristiano Ronaldo tops Lionel Messi, Neymar & Kylian Mbappe in football rich list after raking in an eye-popping $260 million in total earnings in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to become the richest footballer in the world in 2023.

Is Ronaldo a billionaire? ›

Per Forbes, Ronaldo became the first professional athlete ever to surpass the billion-dollar threshold just in career earnings in 2020, as his net worth is around $500 million according to some estimations that include wages, endorsem*nt deals, real estate, and advertisem*nts.

Why is Ronaldo better than Messi? ›

Ronaldo has more career goals on both the domestic and international stages, while Messi has more assists in both departments. 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.

Did Ronaldo score hat trick against Barcelona? ›

Squawka on X: "Neither Ronaldo nor Cristiano Ronaldo ever scored a hat-trick for Real Madrid against Barcelona. 😲" / X.

How many times has Messi won against 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 has more golden boots, Messi or Ronaldo? ›

Lionel Messi is the all time record winner of the award, having won it six times overall. He also holds the record for most goals and most points in a single season (50 and 100 respectively, in 2011–12). Cristiano Ronaldo is second on the all time list, having won four Golden Shoes, as well as two consecutively.

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