Messi vs Ronaldo All time stats comparison, who is the best?

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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the greatest players in the history of football. The debate of 'who is the best' between the two has been going on for decades and fans often rely on stats to prove their favourite player is better. Let us take a deep comparison of the career stats of these two legends today.

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Messi vs Ronaldo: An in-depth comparison of career stats

In the world of football, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two names that often become the focus of the debate of "the best". Their illustrious careers, record-breaking performances and countless individual and team achievements have immortalised them in the history of the game. This blog post will delve deep into the career statistics of these two legends to help their fans and football lovers make a fair comparison.

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1. Total Career Goals: A Goal-Scoring Extravaganza

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When it comes to goal-scoring, both Messi and Ronaldo are unparalleled. They have scored an incredible number of goals in their careers.

• Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has scored 938 goals. His goal-scoring ability is spectacular, especially his heading ability and ability to shoot with both feet. He is Real Madrid's leading scorer and Portugal's leading international goalscorer.
• Lionel Messi: Messi has scored 874 goals. His goal-scoring often comes from his dribbling, short passes, and precise shots from outside the box. He is Barcelona's leading goal scorer and Argentina's leading international goalscorer.

It's important to note that Ronaldo has played more matches than Messi, so his total number of goals is slightly higher.

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2. Assist: Not just goals, but also mastery in making goals

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Apart from goal-scoring, assists also reflect the importance of a player.

• Lionel Messi: Messi has made 386 assists, which puts him clearly ahead in terms of assists. His vision, passing range and ability to create chances for teammates are unparalleled. He often creates goal scoring opportunities by playing from deep.
• Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has made 257 assists. He also provides good assists, but his primary role is as a goal scorer.

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3. Penalty and Free-kick Goals: The King of Set-Pieces

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The ability to score from set-pieces is also an important part of a players skill set.

Penalty Goals:

• Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has scored 175 penalty goals. He is extremely accurate and reliable on the penalty spot.
• Lionel Messi: Messi has scored 110 penalty goals.

Free-kick Goals:

• Lionel Messi: Messi has scored 69 free-kick goals. His free-kicks are often precise and curved, making them difficult for goalkeepers to stop.
• Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has scored 64 free-kick goals.

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4. Individual honours: Ballon d'Or and Golden Boot

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Individual honours reflect a player's dominance.

• Ballon d'Or: It is football's most prestigious individual award.
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won a record number of 8 Ballon d'Ors. This is a testament to his consistency and exceptional performances year after year.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won 5 Ballons d'Or, ranking him second only to Messi.
• European Golden Shoe: It is awarded to the player who scores the most goals in Europe's top leagues.
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won 6 Golden Shoes.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won 4 Golden Shoes.
• FIFA Best Men's Player/FIFA World Player of the Year:
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won this award 3 times.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won this award 2 times.
• Player of the Match Awards:
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won a record 425 Player of the Match awards, showing the consistency of his match-winning performances.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won 220 Player of the Match awards.

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5. Main trophies: contribution to the team's success

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The players' contribution to the team's success is another measure of their importance.

• Total main trophies (club and country):
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won a total of 44 main trophies, which is a record.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won a total of 35 main trophies.
• Champions League: This is the most prestigious tournament in club football.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won 5 Champions League titles, including three consecutive with Real Madrid. He is often referred to as 'Mr. Champions League'.
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won 4 Champions League titles, all with Barcelona.
• League titles:
  • Lionel Messi: Messi has won multiple La Liga titles with Barcelona, as well as Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
  • Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has won league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, showing that he has achieved success in a variety of leagues.

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6. International career: Glory for the country

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Representing your country at the international level and leading them to success is also an important part of a player's legacy.

• Lionel Messi:
  • World Cup: Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022, the biggest moment of his illustrious career.
  • Copa America: He also won the Copa America in 2021.
  • International goals: He has scored a record number of goals for Argentina.
• Cristiano Ronaldo:
  • European Championship: Ronaldo won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.
  • UEFA Nations League: He Also won the UEFA Nations League in 2019.
  • International Goals: He is the all-time top goal scorer in men's international football.

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Conclusion

Both Messi and Ronaldo are incredible footballers who are extremely difficult to compare. Ronaldo is a unique goal scorer, a 'big-game' player known for his physical prowess and relentless drive. Messi, on the other hand, is a magical playmaker and goal scorer whose dribbling, vision and passing ability set him apart.

The decision of who has achieved more comes down to personal preference. Ronaldo has proven himself at different clubs and leagues, while Messi achieved unprecedented success by spending most of his career at one club (Barcelona). On the international stage, Messi has achieved the milestone he was looking for by winning the World Cup, while Ronaldo has brought glory to his country by winning the European Championship.

Undoubtedly, we are fortunate to live in an era of two players who have taken football to new heights and set a standard for generations to come. This debate will probably never end, but it gives football lovers a chance to enjoy the incredible skills and achievements of these two greatest players.

Please note: These statistics are based on the information currently available (as of July 2025) and may change constantly as long as both of these great players are active. As they continue to play, their number of goals, assists and trophies may increase.

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