Ecstasy, Aura and countless memories– All remind you whenever you see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing once in a lifetime. You may struggle to settle your life, tons of work or study materials pressure your human body, and you are suffering from depression, anxiety and uncertainty but all the problems may fade away when you see them dribble the ball, touching the ball supernaturally or an eye-catching shot. Who is the Best in World Football?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both are iconic and memorable characters from generation to generation. They have shared the footballing stage for 16 years with thousands of memories, creating billions of fans all over the world.
A question always arises at the footballing discussion table: who is the best of all time? It’s a question that creates debate and puzzles pundits, fans and players. Some bet on Leonel Messi, some go for Cristiano Ronaldo–but no one can deny the greatness that they have shown throughout their career.
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Here, We take on the challenges of answering the questions by showing their performances and achievements.
Ronaldo leads in club football goals, Messi assists
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the chart of scoring goals with a tally of 788 and counting. He has scored 450 goals for Real Madrid with others for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Juventas and now for Al Nasser, making him one of the most prolific goalscorers in football history.
On the contrary, Messi has scored 744 goals and counting for his three clubs– Barcelona, PSG and Inter Miami. But he is far away from Ronaldo as he recorded assists, with 379 assists throughout his club career. Ronaldo is far behind with around 257 assists in his club career.
Messi-esque in the World Cup, Ronaldo lacklustre
Lionel Messi-esque in the World Cup with 13 goals in 26 matches. Famous commentator Peter Drury stated ‘Lionel Messi has shaken hands with paradise’ after winning the World Cup in Qatar, in 2022, scoring 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 matches that helped Argentina to win the World Cup.
After winning the World Cup, The ‘GOAT’ Mark sticks to Messi’s name while Ronaldo is completely lacklustre on the World Cup stage. He has not proven himself on the stage yet, scoring 8 goals in 22 matches and just 1 goal in the latest Qatar World Cup when Portugal was knocked out by Morocco from the Quarter-final.
Who Leads in Trophy Wins?
Lionel Messi is ahead when it comes to winning trophies for both club and country. His collection boasts a total of 46 titles, including 1 World Cup, 2 Copa América, 4 Champions League titles, and 11 league titles. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has amassed a total of 33 trophies, including 1 Euro Championship, 5 Champions League titles, and 7 league titles.
No Compromise in Personal Achievements
Lionel Messi added to his personal honours by winning his eighth Ballon d’Or, further tipping the scale in his favour. In addition, he has won the FIFA Best Player Award once, claimed the European Golden Shoe 6 times, and secured the World Cup Golden Ball twice. Contrarily, Ronaldo lags behind Messi in Ballon d’Or victories, having won a total of 5 in his career.
Together, these two legends have claimed 13 Ballon d’Or titles—a rare record unmatched in football history. In comparison to Messi, Ronaldo has won the FIFA Best Player Award twice, the European Golden Shoe 4 times, and has been named UEFA Player of the Year 4 times.
