Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne: Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne are among the best-attacking midfielders in modern football.
Messi is known as one of the greatest ever, with over 800 goals, eight Ballon d’Ors, four Champions League titles, and the 2022 World Cup.
De Bruyne is one of the best playmakers, famous for his passing and long-range shots. He’s won six Premier League titles and a Champions League with Manchester City, controlling games from midfield.
Messi has led Argentina to Copa América and World Cup wins. De Bruyne has been a key player for Belgium, helping them finish third in the 2018 World Cup.
Both are still playing at a high level—Messi at 36 for Inter Miami, and De Bruyne at 33 for Manchester City.
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
In this article, we look at who is the real GOAT (Greatest of All Time) between them.
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne All-Time Stats
Lionel Messi has scored over 800 goals in his career, while Kevin De Bruyne has over 180. Messi is known for his creativity and has more than 400 assists, compared to De Bruyne’s 304. Both are also top assist-makers. Regarding penalties, Messi has scored over 110, and De Bruyne has scored more than 10.
| TOTALS | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 1115 | 732 |
| Goals | 861 | 181 |
| Ratio | 0.77 | 0.24 |
| Assists | 417 | 305 |
| Penalty | 110 | 10 |
| Free Kick | 65 | 12 |
| Hat Tricks | 59 | 1 |
| Trophies | 46 | 21 |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | – |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | – |
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne Stats – Season 2023/2024 & 2024/2025
Here’s a comparison of Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne’s stats for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 seasons:
| Stat | Messi – 23/24 | De Bruyne – 24/25 |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 25 | 14 |
| Goals | 23 | 2 |
| Assists | 13 | 2 |
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne Goals, Assists & Trophies at Club Level
In their club careers, both Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne have been outstanding. Messi has played 922 matches, scored 748 goals, provided 356 assists, and won 40 trophies. He has more goals and trophies. De Bruyne has played 617 matches, scored 150 goals, provided 255 assists, and won 21 trophies.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 924 | 617 |
| Goals | 749 | 150 |
| Assists | 357 | 255 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 101′ | 311′ |
| Minutes Played | 74.382” | 46.666′ |
| Trophies | 40 | 21 |
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne Goals, Assists & Trophies at National Level
Both Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne have impressive national team careers, but Messi has the edge. Messi has played over 190 matches, scored over 110 goals, provided over 60 assists, and won 6 trophies. He leads in goals, assists, and trophies.
De Bruyne has played 107 matches, scored 30 goals, and provided 49 assists, but hasn’t won any trophies.
Messi has won the World Cup, 2 Copa Américas, an Olympic medal, and the Finalissima with Argentina.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 191 | 107 |
| Goals | 112 | 30 |
| Assists | 60 | 49 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 142′ | 285′ |
| Minutes Played | 15.488′ | 8.558′ |
| Trophies | 6 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in the World Cup? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In World Cup performances, Lionel Messi has a better record than Kevin De Bruyne.
Messi has scored 13 goals in five World Cups, while De Bruyne has 2. Messi also has 8 assists, compared to De Bruyne’s 4. The biggest difference is Messi’s 2022 World Cup win, while De Bruyne’s best finish is third place in 2018.
Messi’s higher goals, more assists, and World Cup victory highlight his superior performance on the biggest football stage.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 26 | 13 |
| Goals | 13 | 2 |
| Assists | 8 | 4 |
| Penalty | 4 | – |
| Minutes Per Goal | 178′ | 600′ |
| Minutes Played | 2.315′ | 1.200′ |
| World Cup | 1 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in EURO/COPA AMERICA? Goals, Assists & Trophies
When comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne in the UEFA European Championship (EURO) and the Copa América, the differences are clear.
Kevin De Bruyne has scored 2 goals and made 5 assists in EURO tournaments but has never won the EURO.
In comparison, Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals and made 5 assists in six Copa América tournaments. He has won the Copa América twice, in 2021 and 2024, showing his dominance in South American football.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 39 | 13 |
| Goals | 14 | 2 |
| Assists | 18 | 5 |
| Penalty | 3 | – |
| Minutes Per Goal | 238′ | 542′ |
| Minutes Played | 3.334” | 1.083′ |
| EURO/COPA AMERICA | 2 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in the Champions League? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In the UEFA Champions League, Lionel Messi has scored 129 goals in 163 matches and has the most assists with 45. He has won the Champions League 4 times with Barcelona, in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015.
Kevin De Bruyne has scored 16 goals in 73 matches. He has won the trophy once, in the 2022–23 season, and was a runner-up in 2020–21.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 163 | 73 |
| Goals | 129 | 16 |
| Assists | 45 | 28 |
| Penalty | 18 | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 105′ | 344′ |
| Minutes Played | 13.577” | 5.499′ |
| Champions League | 4 | 1 |
Who’s More Impressive in La Liga/Premier League? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In La Liga/Premier League, both Lionel Messi and Kevin De Bruyne have impressive records.
Lionel Messi has scored 474 goals in 520 matches, averaging about 0.91 goals per match. He also provided 216 assists and won 10 La Liga titles with Barcelona.
Kevin De Bruyne scored 69 goals in 264 matches, averaging 1.06 goals per match. He made 115 assists and won 6 Premier League titles with Manchester City.
Messi leads in both goals and assists and has more titles. De Bruyne’s record is also impressive won 6 Premier League, Messi’s contributions and success in La Liga show his outstanding career in Spanish football.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 520 | 264 |
| Goals | 474 | 69 |
| Assists | 216 | 115 |
| Penalty | 60 | 4 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 89′ | 291′ |
| Minutes Played | 42.148′ | 20.096′ |
| La Liga/Premier League | 10 | 6 |
Who’s More Impressive in Ligue 1/Bundesliga? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In Ligue 1/Bundesliga, Lionel Messi has scored 22 goals in 58 matches and provided 31 assists. He has won Ligue 1 twice with PSG, in the 2021–22 and 2022–23.
Kevin De Bruyne has scored 23 goals in 85 matches but has not won the trophy.
| Stat | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 58 | 85 |
| Goals | 22 | 23 |
| Assists | 31 | 36 |
| Penalty | – | – |
| Minutes Per Goal | 227′ | 330′ |
| Minutes Played | 4.994′ | 7.601′ |
| Ligue 1/Bundesliga | 2 | – |
Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne Matches Against Each Other
Kevin De Bruyne and Lionel Messi have faced each other 4 times in different competitions. Messi has the edge, winning 3 times, while De Bruyne has won once. In these matches, Messi scored 5 goals, and De Bruyne scored 1 goal.
| Matches | Messi W | D | De Bruyne W | Messi G | De Bruyne G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Who Has More Trophies? Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
Lionel Messi has the edge over Kevin De Bruyne in total trophies won.
Messi has 46 trophies in his career, including 10 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 7 Copa del Rey victories. His international honors include the Copa América (2021, 2024), the World Cup (2022), and the Finalissima (2022).
Kevin De Bruyne has won 21 trophies, including 1 UEFA Champions League title, 6 Premier League titles, and 2 FA Community Shield titles.
| Competition | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Belgian Pro League | – | 1 |
| Belgian Cup | – | 1 |
| Belgian Super Cup | – | 1 |
| DFB-Pokal | – | 1 |
| DFL-Supercup | – | 1 |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 1 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 3 | – |
| La Liga | 10 | – |
| Copa del Rey | 7 | |
| Spanish Super Cup | 8 | – |
| UEFA Super Cup | 3 | – |
| Premier League | – | 6 |
| FA Cup | – | 2 |
| Football League/EFL Cup | – | 5 |
| FA Community Shield | – | 2 |
| Ligue 1 | 2 | – |
| Champions Trophy | 1 | – |
| Leagues Cup | 1 | – |
| Supporters’ Shield | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Youth Championship | 1 | – |
| Olympic Games | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | – |
| Copa America | 2 | – |
| Finalissima | 1 | – |
| TOTAL | 46 | 21 |
Who Has More Individual Awards? Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
Lionel Messi has won more individual awards than Kevin De Bruyne. Messi has claimed the Ballon d’Or 8 times, the FIFA World Player of the Year 4 times, and the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 3 times. He has also won the Golden Shoe 6 times as Europe’s top scorer.
In comparison, Kevin De Bruyne has won the Player of the Year 1 time, the TM-Player of the Season 2 times, and the Footballer of the Year 3 times.
Both players have impressive individual awards, Messi has a total of 69 awards, compared to De Bruyne’s 7, showing Messi’s advantage in individual honors.
| Awards | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 4 | – |
| Player of the Year | 9 | 1 |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | – |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | – |
| UEFA Best Player in Europe | 3 | – |
| Top Goalscorer | 23 | 1 |
| TM-Player of the season | 4 | 2 |
| Olympic Medalist | 1 | – |
| Footballer of the Year | – | 3 |
| Pichichi Trophy | 8 | – |
| FIFA Puskas Award | – | |
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 2 | – |
| FIFA World Cup Silver Ball | 1 | – |
| TOTAL | 69 | 7 |
Who Scores More Penalty Goals? Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
Lionel Messi has scored more penalty goals than Kevin De Bruyne. Messi has taken 141 penalties, scoring 110 and missing 31, giving him a success rate of 78%. De Bruyne has taken 12 penalties, scoring 10 and missing 2, with a success rate of 83%.
| Penalty | Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|---|
| Total Penalty Taken | 141 | 12 |
| Total Penalty Scored | 110 | 10 |
| Total Penalty Missed | 31 | 2 |
| Success Rate | 78% | 83% |
Who Scores More Free Kick Goals? Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
Messi is known for his incredible precision in free kicks, scoring around 65 free-kick goals in his career. In comparison, Kevin De Bruyne has scored about 12 free-kick goals.
| Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|
| 65 | 12 |
Who Has More Hat Tricks? Lionel Messi vs Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne has more hat tricks than Lionel Messi. De Bruyne has over 1 hat trick, while Messi has around 57.
| Messi | De Bruyne |
|---|---|
| 57 | 1 |
Who’s the Better Passer?
Both players are great passers. Messi has more assists and is more creative, while De Bruyne is known for his accuracy and ability to control the game from midfield, making him one of the best playmakers today.
Who’s the Best Dribbler?
Lionel Messi is considered as the best dribbler because of his skill and ability to handle tight spots. Kevin De Bruyne is skilled too, but he focuses more on passing than dribbling. Messi’s dribbling makes him one of the greatest in football history.
Who Has the Best Heading Skills?
Kevin De Bruyne is better at heading because of his height, technique, and ability to score headed goals. While Messi can score headers, his height makes it harder for him in aerial situations. So, De Bruyne is usually seen as the better player in heading.
Who Is Faster?
Kevin De Bruyne has the edge in top speed and covering distances quickly. However, Lionel Messi is great at accelerating and changing direction, making him very agile. Both players are fast but use their speed differently according to their styles.
Who’s the Ultimate Winner?
In conclusion, Messi is known for his amazing goal-scoring and individual awards, while De Bruyne is recognized for his playmaking skills and key role in Manchester City’s success. Both players have set new standards in their roles, making them all-time greats in football. In our opinion, Messi is the greatest of all time (GOAT).