Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two living legends of modern football, have now taken new paths in their careers. Messi plays for Inter Miami in MLS, while Ronaldo plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, marking the end of their reign in European football. For more than two decades, they have competed relentlessly, setting great records and creating a classic rivalry that has fans around the world asking, "Who has more wins against the other, Messi or Ronaldo?" Join Wintips to discover the statistics, illustrious titles, and moments that have made the names of the two greatest strikers in football history.
Who has more wins against each other Messi or Ronaldo
Messi vs Ronaldo: Goals
Messi has scored 704 goals in his time in Europe, three more than Ronaldo. The Argentine striker made his Barcelona debut in 2004 and has scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for the Catalan club. Messi's remaining 32 goals were scored for PSG.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, has played for several clubs in his European career. After scoring five goals for Sporting Lisbon in his native Portugal, he moved to Manchester United and bagged 118 goals. CR7's scoring form took off at Real Madrid, with a total of 450 goals. Ronaldo then moved to Juventus and scored 101 goals before returning to Manchester United. Ronaldo scored 27 more goals for the Red Devils before controversy led to his move to Al Nassr, ending his European conquest with a total of 701 goals.
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Messi and Ronaldo's Goals
Lionel Messi:
- Appearances: 853
- Goals: 704
Cristiano Ronaldo:
- Appearances: 949
- Goals: 701
Considering the total number of goals scored by both players in all competitions, both at club and national team level, the Portuguese star has a better record with 838 goals compared to Messi's 807 goals.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Assists
Messi still has the upper hand in terms of assists, with 303 in 853 appearances for Barcelona and PSG. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has 203 assists in 949 appearances for four different clubs, an average of significantly lower assists per game than Messi.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Trophies
For the third time, Messi has surpassed Ronaldo in terms of winning more trophies during his time in Europe. The Argentine striker has won 12 national championships, 7 national cups, and 4 Champions League titles. In terms of total trophies, Messi has won 38 major and minor titles.
Although he has won the Champions League more times than his rival, with five titles—a feat that very few players can achieve—he cannot catch up in terms of total titles, having won only 32 championships.
In terms of achievements at the national team level, Messi has won both the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup, while Ronaldo won Euro 2016 as well.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Individual Awards
The rivalry between the two greatest strikers of modern football seems never to end, and both have dominated individual awards for over 20 years.
In the Ballon d'Or category, Messi has won seven awards, while Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or. Both have far surpassed the rest, with no player having won more than three Ballons d'Or in the history of world football.
In terms of the Golden Boot award in the top five European leagues, Messi has been the top scorer eight times, compared to Ronaldo's five. The Portuguese striker has achieved that feat in three separate tournaments, playing for three clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Transfer fees
Ronaldo has always been associated with huge transfer fees, with a total value of 247 million euros.
CR7 moved from Sporting to Manchester United at a young age for 19 million euros, then joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a record fee of 94 million euros at the time. In 2018, Ronaldo moved to Juventus for 117 million euros, followed by a 17 million-euro contract with his former team, Manchester United, in 2021.
Messi's situation is completely different compared to when he joined teams on free transfers, despite being one of the greatest players in history.
After many years with Barcelona, Messi unexpectedly joined PSG as a free agent when his contract with the club expired. When Messi moved to MLS, Inter Miami did not have to pay any transfer fee to sign the 2022 World Cup champion.
Wrapping things up
When looking back at the legendary careers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it is clear that both have left an indelible mark on world football. Although Messi has scored more goals for Barcelona and PSG, Ronaldo has the upper hand in terms of total individual awards and international trophies. Both have also shared impressive successes with European teams before moving on to other leagues. However, the question of "Who has more wins against each other, Messi or Ronaldo?" is still a much-discussed topic. Although Ronaldo may have the advantage in terms of head-to-head record in some matches, there is no denying that Messi still has the upper hand overall.
See more: Will Messi Play 2026 World Cup? Predictions and challenges
