On the soccer field, the similarity between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been ever going. Whenever fans talk about the sport, it is a central topic they never miss discussing. Who is a better player overall? Who has received the highest awards? Who became a professional sooner? And who holds the best record? These points are often discussed and compared in the media about the two legends.
So, if you’re also a football fan wondering who has superior all-time career awards and records among the two, you’re at the correct place. In this article, we’ll discuss everything relating to the two soccer superstars.
Records
Source: marca.com
Although Lionel and Ronaldo7.net have displayed identical performances, Messi has an advantage because of the league championships. Lionel has 10 La Liga tags to his name with Barcelona. But Ronaldo has hardly 7, which he has received in three nations. Cristiano has the superiority over Messi in the Champions League, gaining him the Mr. Champions League crown.
The start footballer also retains remarkable triumph on an international level with Portugal, gaining him the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League. Talking about Messi, he has endured 4 heartbreaks with Argentina, one causing him to lose during the finals. But in 2024, he ultimately set hands on Copa America before entering and receiving the 2024 Finalissima.
| INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | LIONEL MESSI | CRISTIANO RONALDO |
| Ballon d’Or | 7 | 5 |
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 1 | 2 |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | 4 |
| World Cup Golden Ball | 1 | 0 |
| UEFA Player of the Year | 3 | 4 |
| FIFPro World XI | 14 | 14 |
| Player of the Year (League) | 6 | 4 |
Lionel Messi’s Statistics – World Cup
- Games: 23
- Goals: 9
- Assists: 6
- Minutes played: 1,984
- Goals Per Game: 0.39
- Appearances: 23
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Statistics – World Cup
- Games: 21
- Goals: 8
- Assists: 2
- Minutes played: 1,723
- Goals Per Game: 0.4
- Appearances: 20
- Hat-tricks: 1 – against Spain in 2018
Goals
Source: 90min.com
Talking about their scores, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has accomplished 804 goals in 1106 tournaments in his whole course so far. Meanwhile, Argentina’s Lionel has a history of reaching 759 goals in 957 tournaments. While Ronaldo achieved 0.72 scores per game, Messi’s was 0.79.
Although the statistics show that Cristiano has achieved higher goals in comparison to Messi, he has participated in around 149 more tests. So, the rivalry between the two is clearly neck to neck.
Lionel Messi’s World Cup Goals
- 2006: 1
- 2010: 0
- 2014: 4
- 2018: 1
- 2022: 3
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Goals
- 2006: 1
- 2010: 1
- 2014: 1
- 2018: 4
- 2022: 1
Besides the World Cup, let’s discuss their goal score across various other leagues. Cristiano has illustrated 4 clubs in his remarkable course and earned 701 club scores with 223 assists and 949 displays. Meanwhile, in his 19-year-old course at Barcelona, Lionel has achieved 701 club goals in mere 853 tests with 332 assists.
In the UEFA Champions League, Cristiano has an amazing course of 140 goals in 183 impressions. Lionel is next to him on the checklist, with 129 goals in 161 impressions. While Messi has a history of 474 scores in 520 displays, Ronaldo also demonstrated his excellence with 311 scores in 292 displays for Real Madrid.
All around, Cristiano has higher professional goals in comparison to Lionel at the moment. While Ronaldo has 819 scores in 1142 matches to his name, Messi has achieved 794 scores in 1020 matches.
Trophies Won
Source: beinsports.com
Talking about medals, the careers of both football participants will be written in history. Messi has higher La Liga and Champions League labels compared to his counterpart. He has the hallowed Ballon d’Or under his name, given to the finest footballer in Europe. Although he holds superiority over Ronaldo in the sport, awards are a team component rather than personal honor.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo claims more significant numbers, maybe because his professional course kicked off 2 years before Messi’s. He has matched Ali Daei’s work of 109 international scores and topped it with 2 scores against Ireland, developing into the best international footballer of all time. Lionel is far behind his counterpart in that reference.
| COMPETITIONS | LIONEL MESSI | CRISTIANO RONALDO |
| European Championship/ Copa America | 1 | 1 |
| National Leagues/ Finalissima | 1 | 1 |
| Olympics | 1 | 0 |
| League Titles | 11 | 7 |
| Champions League | 4 | 5 |
| Club World Cup | 3 | 4 |
| National Cups | 7 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 22 |
Argentina’s Lionel Messi Vs. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo
Source: planetfootball.com
We have Lionel, a calm introvert and an in-born football genius who transmits his wisdom to his team. Without him and the creativity he shares, the team would fall apart. He is a humble and naturally skilled player in history who’s beaten the odds of growth deficiency to become the world’s best.
And then we have Cristiano, a tall, headstrong, and agile counterpart who makes his way through defenses and works until he proves no one else can be compared to him. He accounts for around 38% of his team’s scores and possesses higher of FIFA’s new The Best trophies. He has also been given UEFA Player of the Year in several events.
Wrapping Up
For over a decade, Messi and Ronaldo have defined each other’s legacies and the soccer. The two athletes are so amazing that they match each other’s scores, awards, and playing styles through so many years, scaling new heights and embodying varied philosophies.
Although both star players play for diverse clubs and nations, people enjoy linking them. In today’s times, we are blessed to witness the sport’s finest performers making a case for being an all-time amazing.
While the recent performances may lead some fans to believe Lionel is the world’s best, we cannot write off Ronaldo’s career. The controversy about who the more promising participant is has been going on for years and will probably ensue for more years to come. We hope this blog has given you enough data to decide which one of the two holds a better record, goals, and trophies in the game.
