Who is better: Messi or Ronaldo? An objective analysis based on stats
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated football for over a decade, sparking an endless debate about who is better. The two athletes have also entered discussions about who the goat of soccer is alongside Pele, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cryuff. So, who is better: Messi or Ronaldo?
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Messi is an Argentine forward who plays for Inter Miami in the MLS. His rival, Ronaldo, is a Portuguese forward who plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi League. We break down their profiles, all-time career stats and achievements.
Who is better: Messi or Ronaldo?
Messi and Ronaldo have set unprecedented records that may take years to break. The duo has also scooped almost every award over the past two decades.
As the Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry grows, it is crucial to understand why each fanbase prefers one player to the other. To settle the debate, we compile their stats from credible sources such as Goal, The Week, and Transfermarkt as of July 2024.
Messi vs Ronaldo profile summaries
| Full name | Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini | Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro |
| Nicknames | Leo, La Pulga, Atomic Flea | CR7, El Bicho, Mr. Champions League |
| Date of birth | 24 June 1987 | 5 February 1985 |
| Age | 37 (as of July 2024) | 39 (as of July 2024) |
| Birthplace | Rosario, Argentina | Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Funchal, Portugal |
| Nationality | Argentine | Portuguese |
| Height | 1.70 m | 1.88 m |
| Best foot | Left | Right |
| Main position | Right winger | Centre forward |
| Current club | Inter Miami | Al Nassr |
| Past clubs | Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain | Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus |
| Market value | $32.6 million | $16.3 million |
| Net worth | $650 million | $600 million |
| Social media | Instagram Facebook | Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) |
Who is the best player, Messi or Ronaldo?
The two players have strengths and weaknesses. While Lionel Messi is good at dribbling, scoring, and playmaking, the Portuguese stands out for his aerial abilities, shooting skills, physical and technical abilities, and prolific goal scorer.
Source: Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo's career stats
The striker has scored 889 goals and provided 283 assists in 1225 matches for club and country as of July 2024. He is the top goal scorer in men's international football (130 goals) and has the all-time record for men's international appearances (212).
The great Cristiano Ronaldo is also the top goal scorer in the UEFA Champions League (141 goals) and the first male player to score in five different FIFA World Cups.
Messi's career stats
Leo has 844 goals and 413 assists in 1091 matches for club and country as of July 2024. He has the most goals and assists combined in football history. Messi is also the second all-time top international goal scorer after Ronaldo.
According to Dario AS, CR7 has scored more hattricks (65) in his career than his Argentine rival (57), but Leo has a better hattrick rate.
Source: Getty Images
Messi vs Ronaldo trophies
Messi is the most decorated footballer, with 45 trophies. He lifted 35 titles with Barcelona, six with Argentina, two with PSG, and one with Inter Miami, per ESPN.
CR7 has 34 titles, including 15 with Real Madrid, nine with Manchester United, five with Juventus, two with Portugal, and one with Sporting CP and Al Nassr.
Head-to-head stats
According to One Football, the two have faced each other 36 times, with Messi winning 16 matches and Ronaldo winning 11. Leo has 22 goals and 12 assists in their clashes, while Ronaldo has 21 goals and one assist.
Source: Getty Images
Is Messi better than Ronaldo?
The Argentine has more trophies and assists than his Portuguese counterpart. Leo also is a gifted dribbler and one of the best passers. He has more individual accolades than his rival. So, where is Ronaldo better than Messi?
CR7 has more goals than Leo and has played more games. He is physically strong and good with headers. Ronaldo's mentality and confidence also make him stand out. Here are their awards.
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Accolades | Lionel Messi |
| 5 | Ballon d'Or | 8 |
| 2 | The Best FIFA Men's Player | 3 |
| 4 | European Golden Shoe | 6 |
| 0 | World Cup Golden Ball | 2 |
| 4 | UEFA Player of the Year | 3 |
| 15 | FIFPro World XI | 17 |
| 4 | Player of the Year (league) | 6 |
| 34 | Total | 45 |
Who has more fans, Messi or Ronaldo?
The two footballers have billions of fans globally. Ronaldo became the first person in the world to reach 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter), per Forbes report. The Portuguese now has over 903 million followers as of July 2024.
Leo has more presence in South America and the United States. Research by SSRS ranked the Inter Miami star as the most famous athlete in the USA in 2024, surpassing Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Messi is the first soccer player to rank as America's favourite athlete.
Frequently asked questions
The individual battle between Ronaldo and Messi has shaped football for over a decade and inspired many young generations. Here are more facts about them.
- Who is richer, Messi or Ronaldo? Leo has an estimated net worth of $650 million, making him the wealthiest and one of the highest-paid athletes. Ronaldo is worth around $600 million as of 2024.
- Who is the better dribbler, Messi or Ronaldo? The Argentine is one of football's great dribblers. In 2023, the Daily Mail reported that Leo had completed nearly twice as many dribbles as Ronaldo in the last 17 years.
- Who is the No. 1 GOAT in football? Fans and football experts remain divided about the greatest man to play the sport. Some have declared Messi the GOAT, while others consider Pele, Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Who is better than Messi? The Argentine has accomplished nearly everything in football but is not good at everything. Cristiano has more goals and better Champions League stats than him, while Pele has more World Cup trophies than Leo.
Who is better: Messi or Ronaldo? The debate will continue raging for years as fans give diverse opinions and stats on the two greatest footballers. The race to replace them is also intensifying as the two athletes near their end.
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Source: Briefly News
