Home / Messi vs Ronaldo
Messi vs Ronaldo
Ronaldo as of 12 October 2026. Messi as of 17 October 2026.
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
| Born | 5 February 1985 (41) |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Funchal, Portugal |
| Height | 1.87 m |
| Foot | Right |
| Position | Forward |
| Current club | Al Nassr |
| Senior debut | 14 August 2002, Sporting CP |
Lionel Andres Messi
| Born | 24 June 1987 (39) |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Rosario, Argentina |
| Height | 1.70 m |
| Foot | Left |
| Position | Forward |
| Current club | Inter Miami |
| Senior debut | 16 October 2004, Barcelona |
Questions
Who has more goals, Messi or Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo, with 981 goals in 1,340 games. Lionel Messi has 936 goals in 1,182 games.
Who has the better goals per game record?
Messi, with 0.79 goals per game. Ronaldo averages 0.73. Ronaldo played mainly as a winger in his first seven senior seasons, one with Sporting CP and six with Manchester United in the Premier League, which UEFA ranked as the hardest league in Europe in 2008 and 2009. He scored 123 goals in 323 club games in those seasons. He played as a forward from his move to Real Madrid in 2009 and scored 450 goals in 438 games for them. Ronaldo returned to the Premier League with Manchester United for 2021/22 and 2022/23, aged 36 and 37, when UEFA again ranked it as the hardest league in Europe. Messi moved to Ligue 1 with Paris Saint Germain in 2021, aged 34, when UEFA ranked it as the fifth hardest league in Europe.
Who has more assists?
Messi, with 409 assists. Ronaldo has 291.
Who has more Ballon d'Or awards?
Messi has won 8 and Ronaldo 5. Ronaldo has been shortlisted 18 times and Messi 17.
Who has won more trophies?
Messi, with 46 senior team trophies. Ronaldo has 35.
Who has more Champions League titles and goals?
Ronaldo, with 5 UEFA Champions League titles and 140 goals. Messi has 4 titles and 129 goals. Messi was injured and did not play in the 2006 final, which Barcelona won against Arsenal, but he was counted as a winner.
Who has more assists in the Champions League?
Ronaldo, with 42 UEFA Champions League assists. Messi has 40.
Who has more international goals?
Ronaldo, with 146 goals in 234 caps for Portugal. Messi scored 126 goals in 208 caps for Argentina before retiring from international football on 6 October 2026.
Has Ronaldo won the World Cup?
No. Messi won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, and lost the 2014 final to Germany and the 2026 final to Spain.
How many penalties did Argentina get at the 2022 World Cup?
Five, all taken by Messi. He scored against Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Croatia and France, and Wojciech Szczesny saved his penalty against Poland. Four of his seven goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup were penalties, which is 57.1 percent.
What is the head to head record between Messi and Ronaldo?
They have met 36 times. Messi has won 16, Ronaldo 11, and 9 ended level. Messi scored 22 goals in those games and Ronaldo 21.
Who scored more goals in El Clasico?
Messi, with 26 goals in 45 matches against Real Madrid. Ronaldo scored 18 in 30 matches against Barcelona.
Who has more hat tricks?
Ronaldo, with 66. Messi has 62.
Who has more free kick goals?
Messi, with 76 direct free kick goals. Ronaldo has 66.
Who has more penalty goals?
Ronaldo, with 184. Messi has 115. Ronaldo has missed 36 and Messi 35, so Ronaldo has scored 83.6 percent of his penalties and Messi 76.7 percent. Shootouts are not counted.
Who has more headed goals?
Ronaldo, with 158. Messi has 31.
Who scored more in a single season and a single year?
Messi, with 73 goals in 2011/12 and 91 in 2012. Ronaldo's best are 61 in 2014/15 and 69 in 2013.
Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo?
There is no official measure. Ronaldo leads in goals, international goals, UEFA Champions League titles and hat tricks. Messi leads in goals per game, assists, Ballon d'Or awards, team trophies and FIFA World Cup titles. Ronaldo has won titles with every club he has played for, in five countries: Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
Career totals
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 1,340 | Games | 1,182 |
| 981 | Goals | 936 |
| 0.73 | Goals per game | 0.79 |
| 291 | Assists | 409 |
| 1,106 | Club games | 974 |
| 835 | Club goals | 810 |
| 234 | International caps | 208 |
| 146 | International goals | 126 |
| 66 | Hat tricks | 62 |
| 184 | Penalty goals | 115 |
| 797 | Non penalty goals | 821 |
| 66 | Direct free kick goals | 76 |
| 158 | Headed goals | 31 |
All official senior matches for club and country. Assists are counted differently by each data provider: Ronaldo's figure is the ronaldostats.app count, Messi's is MessiStat's official count.
Team trophies
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Senior team trophies | 46 |
| 32 | Club trophies | 42 |
| 3 | National team trophies | 4 |
| 8 | League titles | 12 |
| 5 | UEFA Champions League | 4 |
| 4 | FIFA Club World Cup | 3 |
| 2 | UEFA Super Cup | 3 |
| 6 | Domestic cups | 7 |
| 6 | Domestic super cups | 9 |
| 0 | FIFA World Cup | 1 |
| 1 | European Championship / Copa America | 2 |
Senior trophies only, super cups included, as on ronaldostats.app. Club trophies also include Ronaldo's Arab Club Champions Cup (2023) and Messi's Leagues Cup (2023), MLS Supporters' Shield (2024), MLS Cup (2025) and Campeones Cup (2026). National team trophies also include Ronaldo's UEFA Nations League (2018/19, 2024/25) and Messi's Finalissima (2022).
Individual awards
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Ballon d'Or | 8 |
| 2 | The Best FIFA Men's Player | 3 |
| 1 | FIFA World Player of the Year | 1 |
| 4 | European Golden Shoe | 6 |
| 3 | UEFA Men's Player of the Year | 2 |
| 1 | UEFA Club Footballer of the Year | 1 |
| 7 | UEFA Champions League top scorer | 6 |
| 7 | League top scorer awards | 9 |
| 0 | FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 2 |
| 1 | FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball | 2 |
| 1 | Top scorer at a European Championship / Copa America | 1 |
| 1 | FIFA Puskas Award | 0 |
League top scorer awards: for Ronaldo the Premier League Golden Boot, three Pichichi Trophies, the Capocannoniere and two Saudi Pro League Golden Boots; for Messi eight Pichichi Trophies and the MLS Golden Boot.
Ballon d'Or
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Wins | 8 |
| 6 | Runner up | 5 |
| 1 | Third place | 1 |
| 18 | Shortlisted | 17 |
| 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 | Winning years | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
The 2010 to 2015 editions were the FIFA Ballon d'Or. There was no award in 2020.
Head to head
All meetings
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Matches | 36 |
| 11 | Wins | 16 |
| 9 | Draws | 9 |
| 21 | Goals | 22 |
| 1 | Assists | 12 |
El Clasico
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Matches | 45 |
| 18 | Goals | 26 |
| 0.60 | Goals per game | 0.58 |
Official matches between their teams, including international friendlies and excluding club friendlies. The last was Barcelona 0 Juventus 3 on 8 December 2020, when Ronaldo scored twice. El Clasico figures are Ronaldo for Real Madrid against Barcelona and Messi for Barcelona against Real Madrid.
Context
Penalties at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
| Match | Stage | Messi |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina 1 Saudi Arabia 2 | Group stage | Scored, 10th minute |
| Poland 0 Argentina 2 | Group stage | Saved by Wojciech Szczesny, 39th minute. Awarded after a VAR review |
| Netherlands 2 Argentina 2 | Quarter final | Scored, 73rd minute |
| Argentina 3 Croatia 0 | Semi final | Scored, 34th minute |
| Argentina 3 France 3 | Final | Scored, 23rd minute |
Argentina were awarded five penalties, all taken by Messi. Four of his seven goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup were penalties. Shootouts are not included.
Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
| Stage | Opponent | FIFA ranking | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | Algeria | 28th | Won 3 to 0 |
| Group stage | Austria | 24th | Won 2 to 0 |
| Group stage | Jordan | 63rd | Won 3 to 1 |
| Round of 32 | Cabo Verde | 67th | Won 3 to 2 after extra time |
| Round of 16 | Egypt | 29th | Won 3 to 2 |
| Quarter final | Switzerland | 19th | Won 3 to 1 after extra time |
| Semi final | England | 4th | Won 2 to 1 |
| Final | Spain | 2nd | Lost 0 to 1 after extra time |
England, in the semi final, were the first former world champion Argentina played at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Rankings are from the FIFA Men's World Ranking of 11 June 2026, the last published before the World Cup began.
European Championship and Copa America
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| European Championship | Tournament | Copa America |
| 6 | Editions played | 7 |
| 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 | Years | 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 |
| 1 | Titles | 2 |
| 24 | Teams at the 2024 edition | 16 |
CONMEBOL held four Copa Americas in seven years: 2015, a centenary edition in 2016, 2019 and 2021. The 2020 edition, moved to even years to match the UEFA European Championship, was played in 2021 because of the Covid pandemic. European teams have won five of the last six FIFA World Cups, and three of the four 2026 semi finalists were European.
Leagues
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Seasons in the Premier League, La Liga or Serie A | 17 |
| 2003/04 to 2022/23 | Span | 2004/05 to 2020/21 |
| 495 | Goals in those leagues | 474 |
| 0 | Seasons in Ligue 1 | 2 |
| November 2022, aged 37 | Last match for a European club | June 2023, aged 35 |
Finalissima
The CONMEBOL UEFA Cup of Champions was played in 1985 and 1993. UEFA and CONMEBOL revived it in 2022 as the Finalissima, and Argentina beat Italy 3 to 0 at Wembley. It is one of Messi's four senior trophies with Argentina. The 2026 edition against Spain was cancelled; CONMEBOL declared Argentina the winners, UEFA did not recognise the result, and it is not counted here.
Negreira case
Between 2001 and 2018 Barcelona paid about €7.3m to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, then vice president of the Spanish referees' committee, and his son. A Barcelona court is investigating the club for sporting corruption, with a trial expected in 2027, and UEFA is reviewing the case. Barcelona deny wrongdoing and no ruling has been made. Messi played for Barcelona from 2004 to 2021.
International career
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Team | Argentina |
| 234 | Caps | 208 |
| 146 | Goals | 126 |
| 0.62 | Goals per game | 0.61 |
| 10 | Hat tricks | 11 |
| 20 August 2003 | First cap | 17 August 2005 |
| Active | Last cap | 6 October 2026 |
| 6 | FIFA World Cups played | 6 |
| 6 | FIFA World Cups scored in | 5 |
| 11 | FIFA World Cup goals | 21 |
| 0 | FIFA World Cup titles | 1 |
| 14 | European Championship / Copa America goals | 14 |
| 1 | European Championship / Copa America titles | 2 |
| 15 | UEFA Nations League goals | n/a |
| 2 | UEFA Nations League titles | n/a |
The UEFA Nations League is for European national teams, so Argentina do not play in it.
Best seasons
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Statistic | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 61 2014/15 | Most goals in a club season | 73 2011/12 |
| 48 2014/15 | Most league goals in a season | 50 2011/12 |
| 69 2013 | Most goals in a calendar year | 91 2012 |
| 17 2013/14 | Most UEFA Champions League goals in a season | 14 2011/12 |
Club seasons in all competitions. The calendar year includes international goals.
Clubs and national team
Cristiano Ronaldo
| Team | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting CP2002 to 2003 | 31 | 5 |
| Manchester United2003 to 2009, 2021 to 2022 | 346 | 145 |
| Real Madrid2009 to 2018 | 438 | 450 |
| Juventus2018 to 2021 | 134 | 101 |
| Al Nassr2023 to present | 157 | 134 |
| Portugal2003 to present | 234 | 146 |
Lionel Messi
| Team | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona2004 to 2021 | 778 | 672 |
| Paris Saint Germain2021 to 2023 | 75 | 32 |
| Inter Miami2023 to present | 121 | 106 |
| Argentina2005 to 2026 | 208 | 126 |
Club goals by season
Cristiano Ronaldo
| Season | Club | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002/03 | Sporting CP | 31 | 5 |
| 2003/04 | Manchester United | 40 | 6 |
| 2004/05 | Manchester United | 50 | 9 |
| 2005/06 | Manchester United | 47 | 12 |
| 2006/07 | Manchester United | 53 | 23 |
| 2007/08 | Manchester United | 49 | 42 |
| 2008/09 | Manchester United | 53 | 26 |
| 2009/10 | Real Madrid | 35 | 33 |
| 2010/11 | Real Madrid | 54 | 53 |
| 2011/12 | Real Madrid | 55 | 60 |
| 2012/13 | Real Madrid | 55 | 55 |
| 2013/14 | Real Madrid | 47 | 51 |
| 2014/15 | Real Madrid | 54 | 61 |
| 2015/16 | Real Madrid | 48 | 51 |
| 2016/17 | Real Madrid | 46 | 42 |
| 2017/18 | Real Madrid | 44 | 44 |
| 2018/19 | Juventus | 43 | 28 |
| 2019/20 | Juventus | 46 | 37 |
| 2020/21 | Juventus | 44 | 36 |
| 2021/22 | Juventus | 1 | 0 |
| 2021/22 | Manchester United | 38 | 24 |
| 2022/23 | Manchester United | 16 | 3 |
| 2022/23 | Al Nassr | 19 | 14 |
| 2023/24 | Al Nassr | 51 | 50 |
| 2024/25 | Al Nassr | 41 | 35 |
| 2025/26 | Al Nassr | 37 | 30 |
| 2026/27 | Al Nassr | 9 | 5 |
| Total | 1,106 | 835 |
Lionel Messi
| Season | Club | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004/05 | Barcelona | 9 | 1 |
| 2005/06 | Barcelona | 25 | 8 |
| 2006/07 | Barcelona | 36 | 17 |
| 2007/08 | Barcelona | 40 | 16 |
| 2008/09 | Barcelona | 51 | 38 |
| 2009/10 | Barcelona | 53 | 47 |
| 2010/11 | Barcelona | 55 | 53 |
| 2011/12 | Barcelona | 60 | 73 |
| 2012/13 | Barcelona | 50 | 60 |
| 2013/14 | Barcelona | 46 | 41 |
| 2014/15 | Barcelona | 57 | 58 |
| 2015/16 | Barcelona | 49 | 41 |
| 2016/17 | Barcelona | 52 | 54 |
| 2017/18 | Barcelona | 54 | 45 |
| 2018/19 | Barcelona | 50 | 51 |
| 2019/20 | Barcelona | 44 | 31 |
| 2020/21 | Barcelona | 47 | 38 |
| 2021/22 | Paris Saint Germain | 34 | 11 |
| 2022/23 | Paris Saint Germain | 41 | 21 |
| 2023 to 2026 | Inter Miami | 121 | 106 |
| Total | 974 | 810 |
All competitions. Inter Miami plays calendar year seasons, so Messi's four seasons there are shown as one row.
Trophy list
Cristiano Ronaldo 35
Sporting CP
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira12002
Manchester United
- Premier League32006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09
- FA Cup12003/04
- Football League Cup22005/06, 2008/09
- FA Community Shield12007
- UEFA Champions League12007/08
- FIFA Club World Cup12008
Real Madrid
- La Liga22011/12, 2016/17
- Copa del Rey22010/11, 2013/14
- Supercopa de España22012, 2017
- UEFA Champions League42013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
- UEFA Super Cup22014, 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup32014, 2016, 2017
Juventus
- Serie A22018/19, 2019/20
- Coppa Italia12020/21
- Supercoppa Italiana22018, 2020
Al Nassr
- Saudi Pro League12025/26
- Arab Club Champions Cup12023
Portugal
- UEFA European Championship12016
- UEFA Nations League22018/19, 2024/25
Lionel Messi 46
Barcelona
- La Liga102004/05, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19
- UEFA Champions League42005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15
- Copa del Rey72008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2020/21
- Supercopa de España82005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
- UEFA Super Cup32009, 2011, 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup32009, 2011, 2015
Paris Saint Germain
- Ligue 122021/22, 2022/23
- Trophée des Champions12022
Inter Miami
- Leagues Cup12023
- MLS Supporters' Shield12024
- MLS Cup12025
- Campeones Cup12026
Argentina
- FIFA World Cup12022
- Copa America22021, 2024
- Finalissima12022
Not counted for Messi: the 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup and the 2008 Olympic gold, which were won with Argentina's youth teams.
Notes and sources
Official senior matches for club and country only. Youth football and club friendlies are not counted. Highlighted figures mark the higher of the two.
Cristiano Ronaldo: every figure comes from the ronaldostats.app dataset, updated after each match.
Lionel Messi, updated after each match:
- Career games, goals, assists and headers: MessiStat.
- Penalties scored and missed, for both players: one published penalty record, shootouts not counted.
- Argentina caps and goals: Sky Sports. He retired from international football on 6 October 2026.
- Inter Miami: Inter Miami CF club figures. Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain: closed career records.
- Trophies: MLSsoccer.com. Free kicks: match reports.
- UEFA Champions League assists, for both players: UEFA's official count.
- Head to head and El Clasico: the most widely published count of their meetings.