Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario: Lionel Messi, born on June 24, 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays for Inter Miami and captains Argentina. He is considered one of the greatest players ever, with 8 Ballon d’Or awards, 6 European Golden Shoes, and 44 team trophies, including a FIFA World Cup.
Messi has scored over 800 career goals and holds many records for goals, assists, and titles. He played for Barcelona for most of his career before joining PSG in 2021 and Inter Miami in 2023. Messi also led Argentina to win the (2021, 2024) Copa América and the 2022 World Cup.
Ronaldo Nazário, born on September 18, 1976, is a former Brazilian striker, also regarded as one of the best. He won the FIFA World Player of the Year 3 times and 2 Ballon d’Ors.
Ronaldo played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, winning many titles. Despite injuries, he made a strong comeback and won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, finishing as the top scorer. He now owns the clubs Cruzeiro and Real Valladolid.
Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
In this article we compares Messi and Ronaldo to see who is the true GOAT (Greatest of All Time).
Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario All-Time Stats
Lionel Messi has scored over 860 goals in his career, while Ronaldo has over 415. Messi is known for his creativity, with over 410 assists compared to Ronaldo’s 97. Both are skilled penalty takers, but Messi has scored over 110 penalties, while Ronaldo has more than 11. Both players are considered among the greatest of all time.
| TOTALS | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 1111 | 715 |
| Goals | 860 | 416 |
| Ratio | 0.77 | 0.67 |
| Assists | 417 | 97 |
| Penalty | 110 | 11 |
| Free Kick | 65 | 5 |
| Hat Tricks | 59 | 4 |
| Trophies | 46 | 18 |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | 2 |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | 1 |
Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario Goals, Assists & Trophies at Club Level
In their club careers, Both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been outstanding. Messi has played 922 matches, scored 748 goals, made 356 assists, and won 40 trophies. He has more trophies than Ronaldo. On the other hand, Ronaldo has played 518 matches, scored 352 goals, made 76 assists, and won 12 trophies.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 922 | 518 |
| Goals | 748 | 352 |
| Assists | 356 | 76 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 101′ | 120′ |
| Minutes Played | 74.382” | 35.781′ |
| Trophies | 40 | 12 |
Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario Goals, Assists & Trophies at National Level
In their national team careers, both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been impressive.
Messi has played 189 matches, scored 112 goals, made 60 assists, and won 6 trophies. Ronaldo has played 99 matches, scored 62 goals, made 31 assists, and won 6 trophies.
Messi has won the World Cup, 2 Copa Américas, an Olympic medal, and the Finalissima with his national team. Ronaldo has won 2 World Cups, 2 Copa America, and FIFA Confederations Cup with his national team.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 189 | 99 |
| Goals | 112 | 62 |
| Assists | 60 | 31 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 142′ | 125′ |
| Minutes Played | 15.488′ | 7.773′ |
| Trophies | 6 | 6 |
Who’s More Impressive in the World Cup? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In World Cup performances, Ronaldo has a better record than Messi.
Messi has scored 13 goals in five World Cups, while Ronaldo has 15. Messi has 8 assists, and Ronaldo has 5. The key difference is in titles: Messi won one World Cup in 2022, while Ronaldo won two in 1994 and 2002.
Ronaldo’s higher goal count and two World Cup wins show his stronger performance on football’s biggest stage.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 26 | 19 |
| Goals | 13 | 15 |
| Assists | 8 | 5 |
| Penalty | 4 | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 178′ | 108′ |
| Minutes Played | 2.315′ | 1.624′ |
| World Cup | 1 | 2 |
Who’s More Impressive in COPA AMERICA? Goals, Assists & Trophies
When comparing Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the Copa América, their records are similar.
Messi has scored 13 goals and made 5 assists in six tournaments, winning the Copa América twice in 2021 and 2024. Ronaldo has scored 10 goals and made 4 assists, winning the tournament twice in 1997 and 1999, and he was a runner-up in 1995.
Ronaldo’s achievements showcase his success in South American football.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 39 | 13 |
| Goals | 14 | 10 |
| Assists | 18 | 4 |
| Penalty | 3 | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 238′ | 101′ |
| Minutes Played | 3.334” | 1.007′ |
| COPA AMERICA | 2 | 2 |
Who’s More Impressive in Champions League? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In the UEFA Champions League, Messi stands out with the most goals, scoring 129 in 163 matches. He has won the trophy 4 times with Barcelona, in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015.
Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 40 matches, providing 9 assists. He has won the Champions League 1 time, in 2002–03.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 163 | 40 |
| Goals | 129 | 14 |
| Assists | 45 | 9 |
| Penalty | 18 | 1 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 105′ | 208′ |
| Minutes Played | 13.577” | 2.911′ |
| Champions League | 4 | – |
Who’s More Impressive in La Liga? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In La Liga, both Lionel Messi and Ronaldo have impressive records, but they differ in key areas.
Messi 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. In comparison, Ronaldo scored 116 goals in 164 matches, averaging 0.70 goals per match. He made 34 assists and won 1 La Liga title with Real Madrid.
Messi leads in goals, assists, and titles, showcasing his remarkable career in Spanish football.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 520 | 164 |
| Goals | 474 | 116 |
| Assists | 216 | 34 |
| Penalty | 60 | 8 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 89′ | 113′ |
| Minutes Played | 42.148′ | 13.136′ |
| La Liga | 10 | 1 |
Who’s More Impressive in Ligue 1/Serie A? Goals, Assists & Trophies
In Ligue 1 and Serie A, Ronaldo stands out with 58 goals in 88 matches. Messi has scored 22 goals in 58 matches and provided 31 assists. He has won the league 1 trophy 2 times, in 2021–22 and 2022–23.
| Stat | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 58 | 88 |
| Goals | 22 | 58 |
| Assists | 31 | 11 |
| Penalty | – | 15 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 227′ | 117′ |
| Minutes Played | 4.994′ | 6.768′ |
| Ligue 1/Serie A | 2 | – |
Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario Matches Against Each Other
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have faced each other once, with Messi generally having the edge in that match.
| Matches | Messi W | D | Ronaldo W | Messi G | Ronaldo G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
Who Has More Trophies? Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
Lionel Messi has the edge over Ronaldo in total trophies won, with 46 in his career. This includes 10 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 7 Copa del Rey victories. His international honors are the Copa América (2021, 2024), the World Cup (2022), and the Finalissima (2022).
Ronaldo has won 18 trophies, including 1 UEFA Champions League title, 1 La Liga title, and 1 Spanish Super Cup title. His international achievements include the Copa América in 1997 and 1999, and he was a runner-up in 1995, as well as winning the FIFA World Cup in 1994 and 2002 and finishing as a runner-up in 1998.
| Competition | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil Cup | – | 1 |
| Minas Gerais Championship | – | 1 |
| KNVB Cup | – | 1 |
| King’s Cup | – | 1 |
| UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup | – | 1 |
| UEFA Cup | – | 1 |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | – |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 3 | – |
| La Liga | 10 | 1 |
| Copa del Rey | 7 | – |
| Spanish Super Cup | 8 | 1 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 3 | – |
| Intercontinental Cup | – | 1 |
| Paulista Championship | – | 1 |
| Brazil Cup | – | 1 |
| Olympic Bronze Medal | – | 1 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | – | 1 |
| Ligue 1 | 2 | – |
| Champions Trophy | 1 | – |
| Leagues Cup | 1 | – |
| Supporters’ Shield | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Youth Championship | 1 | – |
| Olympic Games | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | 2 |
| Copa America | 2 | 2 |
| Finalissima | 1 | – |
| TOTAL | 44 | 18 |
Who Has More Individual Awards? Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
Lionel Messi has won more individual awards than Ronaldo. He 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, recognizing him as Europe’s top scorer.
In comparison, Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or 1 time, the FIFA World Player of the Year 3 times, and the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 1 time. He has won the Golden Shoe 1 time.
Messi has a total of 69 individual awards, while Ronaldo has 21, highlighting Messi’s edge in individual honors.
| Awards | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 4 | 3 |
| Player of the Year | 9 | 1 |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | 2 |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | 1 |
| UEFA Best Player in Europe | 3 | 1 |
| Top Goalscorer | 23 | 6 |
| TM-Player of the season | 4 | |
| Olympic Medalist | 1 | 1 |
| Footballer of the Year | – | 3 |
| Pichichi Trophy | 8 | 2 |
| FIFA Puskas Award | ||
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 2 | 1 |
| FIFA World Cup Silver Ball | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 69 | 21 |
Who Scores More Penalty Goals? Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
Lionel Messi has scored more penalty goals than Ronaldo. He has taken 141 penalties, scoring 110 and missing 31, giving him a success rate of 78%.
In comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo has taken 15 penalties, scoring 11 and missing 4, resulting in a success rate of 73%.
| Penalty | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Total Penalty Taken | 141 | 15 |
| Total Penalty Scored | 110 | 11 |
| Total Penalty Missed | 31 | 4 |
| Success Rate | 78% | 73% |
Who Scores More Free Kick Goals? Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
Messi has scored about 65 free-kick goals in his career, while Ronaldo has around 39 free-kick goals.
| Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|
| 65 | 39 |
Who Has More Hat Tricks? Lionel Messi vs Ronaldo Nazario
Lionel Messi has more hat tricks than Ronaldo. Messi has around 59 hat tricks, while Ronaldo has 4.
| Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|
| 59 | 4 |
Who’s the Better Passer?
Lionel Messi is usually seen as the better passer compared to Ronaldo Nazário.
Who’s the Best Dribbler?
Both players are great at dribbling, but Messi’s special mix of skill, agility, and close ball control usually gives him the advantage.
Who Has the Best Heading Skills?
Ronaldo Nazário is better at heading the ball due to his height and technique. Messi doesn’t have the same heading skills.
Who Is Faster?
Ronaldo has a slight edge in pure speed, but Messi’s quickness and control make him strong in other areas of speed.
Who’s the Ultimate Winner?
Both players are legends and have made a significant impact on football. Each dominated their time, with Messi known for his long career and many awards. Ronaldo is remembered for his incredible prime and World Cup win.
In our opinion, Messi is the GOAT. Share your thoughts in the the poll at the the top of the the article!