If you're a football buff, getting into every Messi vs Ronaldo stat and comparison might be a daily task for you. On Sportz Point, we have tried to cover every Messi vs Roanldo comparison possible for you. Today, we have something special for you. 

In this article, we will get to know every detail about the non-penalty goals scored by both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Recently, Lionel Messi has gone past Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of scoring the most non-penalty goals in the 21st century. How many goals did they score? We will get to know about this today. 

Read Also | Statistical Overlook of Messi vs Ronaldo Debate: Who Is the G.O.A.T?

What is a non-penalty goal?

This is quite easy and simple to understand. We know for a football geek like you, it is a simple answer. But, for everyone new to football, we have got you covered as well. 

A non-penalty goal is a goal scored from open play, not from the penalty spot. A penalty is something a footballer scores from 12 yards (11 meters) from the goal line and centred between the touchlines, which is called the penalty spot.

Read Also | Premier League jerseys of each club for the 2025-26 season

Who has scored the most non-penalty goals?

Since there is no definite record of the official goals scored in past, mostly in the 1970s, and before that, we will only consider the stats of the 21st century to answer this one. 

As of 21st July, 2025, Lionel Messi has scored the most non-penalty goals in the 21st century. The Argentine has scored 764 non-penalty goals in just 1114 appearances. 

Messi vs Ronaldo: Non-penalty goals comparison

Lionel Messi leads by one goal compared to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to non-penalty goals scored in football. Messi has scored 764 non-penalty goals in just 1114 appearances, of which 676 came for the clubs he has played for. 

Messi has scored 111 non-penalty goals in the Champions League as well.

Read Also | Top 10: Most Free-kick Goals In Football History (Updated)

Meantime, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored the most goals in the 21st century, has scored 763 non-penalty goals till now in 1281 matches. Ronaldo has scored 646 non-penalty goals in his club career, which is 30 fewer than Messi's record. 

Read Also | Every single trophy Cristiano Ronaldo has won in his career

However, the Portuguese has a better record than Messi when it comes to the Champions League and international football. But he has played 167 more matches than Messi. 

What percentage of Messi and Ronald's goals came in penalties?

Till now, Messi has converted 110 of the 141 he has taken so far. So, since he has scored 874 goals so far in his career, only 12.5% goals came through penalties. 

Meanwhile, as of 21st July, 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 175 penalty goals of the 208 penalties he has taken so far. And if we calculate it with the 938 career goals Ronaldo has, 18.65% goals came through penalties. 

Football, the beautiful game, is all about scoring goals and preventing someone from scoring goals. Whoever scores more goals wins a football game; that is why the goal scorers are one of the most important parts of a football team. With Erling Haaland becoming the first since Austria’s Hans Krankl in 1977 to score five goals in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match, the question was raised about who has scored the most goals in an official football match.

Haaland’s five goals in FIFA World Cup qualifiers 

Inspired by Haaland’s remarkable accomplishment, scoring five times against Moldova to help Norway win 11-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, we decided to explore records for goal scorers in official matches.

Haaland, who already shares the record for most goals in a UEFA Champions League game (which we’ll discuss soon), looked dangerous from the start. Despite a cut on his face from a bus accident the previous day, he found the net in the 11’, 36’, 43’, 52’, and 83’ minutes at Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadion.

But is this the most goals by a footballer in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match? The answer is NO.

Most goals in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match

Australia’s Archie Thompson holds the record for scoring the highest number of goals in a single FIFA World Cup qualifier match.

In the 2002 qualifying match, Thompson scored 13 goals against American Samoa, as the Aussies recorded a 31-0 win, the biggest victory in an international football match ever.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far.

Has anyone scored five goals in a World Cup match?

Since we are talking about the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, let’s know who has scored the most goals in a FIFA World Cup match.

Actually, only once has someone scored five goals in a FIFA World Cup match. Oleg Salenko of Russia scored five goals in a 6-1 win over Cameroon in the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA. This is still the record for the most goals scored in a FIFA World Cup match.

Read Also: 10 Footballers Who Retired And Came Back

Most goals in a UEFA Champions League match

Since we were talking about Haaland scoring five goals in a UEFA Champions League match, let’s get to know who has scored the most goals in a UEFA Champions League match.

Paul Van Himst, Gerd Müller, Claudio Sulser, Søren Lerby, Lionel Messi, Luiz Adriano, and Erling Haaland have the record of scoring five goals in a single UEFA Champions League match, which is the highest in the tournament’s history.

Read Also: 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history.

Most goals in an official football match

Now, with any further delay, let’s get into the stat you have come here to know. Who has scored the most goals in a single official match? 

The record we will talk about is obviously taking first-class or fully professional matches for the country or club into consideration.

In Men’s football and overall, Yanick Manzizila of Sweden broke the record for the most goals scored in an official match by a player. Manzilila, in 2014, while playing for a club named Kongo United in the 9th division of Swedish football, scored 21 goals as Kongo United defeated Balrog Botkyrka Sodertalje by 30-0.

In Women’s football, Megi Doçi recently scored 16 goals in the 2024–25 Kategoria Superiore Femra on 16 March 2025. While playing for KFF Vllaznia, she surpassed her previous record of 14 goals as her team defeated KFF Lushnja by 23-0. 

In the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers game against Ecuador, Argentina, and Real Madrid's new star, Franco Mastantuono, did something that no one imagined. In Argentina's 0-1 defeat against Ecuador, the 18-year-old midfielder came out wearing the No.10 jersey, a number that fans associate only with Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi for their great careers with the La Albiceleste.

What happened?

Argentina, who have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and will defend their title in Mexico, Canada and the USA next year, were losing by 0-1 after the halftime.

Nicloas Otamendi's 31-minute last-man foul had already turned the defending champions into a 10-man team. A few minutes later, at the stroke of half-time, Enner Valencia converted the penalty for the home side to give Ecuador a 1-0 lead.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Post half-time, Ecuador was also reduced to 10 men after Moisés Caicedo, the Chelsea star, was shown the second yellow card of the match. That allowed Lionel Scaloni to look for goals and somehow equalise.

At the one-hour mark, the Argentine boss brought Franco Mastantuono from the bench to replace Leandro Paredes.

What happened after that stunned the crowd and everyone watching the match as Mastantuono came out wearing the Jersey No.10 in the absence of Lionel Messi.

Messi, who started with the No.19 jersey for the Argentine senior team, did an outstanding job of justice to the famous No.10 jersey of Diego Armando, who everyone hails as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Which No. Mastantuono wear for Real Madrid?

With Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and other stars being there, Mastantuono had to choose a number like 30 for the Real Madrid team. He was brought to Real Madrid from River Plate with a huge transfer fee of €45.00m, which is one of the highest for a teenager ever.

Read Also: 20 Most expensive teenagers in football transfer history [2025]

Mastantuono, to date, has only played two games for Argentina and has yet to score or assist for the senior team. With Real Madrid, he has appeared only three times so far and has yet to register any goal contributions.

As the most popular sport, football is watched and played by people all over the country, ranging from professional leagues, to youth teams, and even families in their yards. But how much do you really know about your favourite footballers? Do you know many famous footballers actually don't use their real names in their professional careers?

Many footballers' real names are distinctly different from what are effectively stage names they use for their professional careers. Many figures even choose to go by relatively shorter names to make it easier for people all over the world to remember them by.

Let’s go ahead and dive into some real names of famous footballers you probably don't know.

Also Read: 15 football records that might ever be broken

Real Names of Famous Footballers

1. Dele Alli

• Real Name- Bamidele Jermaine Alli

Dele Alli's full name is Bamidele Jermaine Alli. He does not use his full name professionally and instead goes by "Dele Alli". Dele Alli used to be a big name in the round leather game some years back. When he was 20, he was already considered as English football’s biggest rising star.

2. Raphinha

• Real Name- Raphael Dias Belloli

Raphinha's full name is 'Raphael Dias Belloli'. He does not use his full name professionally and instead goes by Raphinha. Raphinha is known for his skills in dribbling, pace, and creativity on the field. He currently plays as a winger for Leeds United in the English Premier League.

3. Moises Caicedo

• Real Name- Moisés Isaac Caicedo Corozo

Caicedo's real name is  'Moisés Isaac Caicedo Corozo'. He is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for the English club Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion and for the national team of Ecuador. He is a versatile player with ability to control the tempo of the game.

4. Cole Palmer

• Real Name- Cole Jermaine Palmer

Cole Palmer's full name is 'Cole Jermaine Palmer'. He is regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. The English footballer plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team.

Also Read: Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

5. Kaka

• Real Name- Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite

Kaka is arguably one of the defining footballers of his generation. The Brazilian was the last player to win a Ballon d'Or before the decade-long duopoly between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kaka has several major honours to his name, including a FIFA World Cup, a UEFA Champions League, and an endless list of individual awards.

6. Van Gaal

• Real Name- Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal

Van Gaal's full name is Aloysius Paulus Maria 'Louis' van Gaal. To some, He's one of the best managers of the past two decades, willing to sacrifice style for substance and flair for formality. To others, he’s an unnerving disciplinarian, an expert at alienating his players and fans. Whatever side of the fence you fall, few will doubt that Louis van Gaal is one of the most pragmatic managers in the modern game.

7. Fikayo Tomori

• Real Name- Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola Tomori

Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola "Fikayo" Tomori is an English professional footballer known for his defensive skill as a center-back, currently playing for Serie A club AC Milan and the England national team.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Real Name- Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Cristiano Ronaldo aka Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is still plying his trade in the professional game for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. However, he is already considered one of the greatest players of all time. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards in his illustrious career, which is a record only bettered by a certain Argentine forward.

Also Read: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World [2025]

9. Bukayo Saka

• Real Name- Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka

Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team. He is often hailed as one of the greatest football players in the world. 

10. Lamine Yamal

• Real Name- Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana, also known as Lamine Yamal, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. 

11. Pepe

• Real Name- Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira

Former Real Madrid star Pepe is quite commonly regarded as one of the best and most aggressive defenders of his time. The centre-back is still playing European football at the age of 38, and put in a string of magnificent displays in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League. The Portuguese rolled back the years against Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus with a breathtaking showing to knock them out of the UCL.

In 2025, some of the world’s top athletes are earning huge amounts of money through their sports, brand deals and businesses. These athletes come from football, basketball, golf and other popular games. Their earnings include salaries, match winnings and endorsements from big companies. Let’s take a look at the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world and see how much they are earning.

Also Read: Women in Sports: Highest-paid women athletes in the world [2025]

10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World

10. Kevin Durant | $101.4M

Kevin Durant’s Suns may not have made the playoffs, but his financial game stayed elite. His total earnings combine a $51.4 million salary with $50 million in off-court earnings through Boardroom Media and investments in Paris Saint-Germain.

He even has a soon-to-debut Netflix docuseries. His tequila brand, real estate moves, and a collaboration with Fanatics round out a sharp portfolio.

9. Shohei Ohtani | $102.5M

Though his Dodgers salary is deferred, Shohei Ohtani still walked away with $2.5 million in earnings plus postseason bonuses. But the reason he made it to this top-earners list is his headlining brand power.

Out of the total $102.5 million, $100 million came from endorsement deals across Japan and the U.S. That includes New Balance, Seiko, Beats by Dre, and a record-breaking Topps trading card sale.

8. Karim Benzema | $104M

The first footballer to enter the top 10, and for the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, most of Karim Benzema's earnings have come from his hefty salary from his contract with Al-Ittihad, where he earns over $2 million a week, resulting in a $100 million annual salary. 

Sponsors like Adidas remain loyal, even as he embraces a quieter lifestyle far from the European spotlight. Rumors now swirl about a possible shift to Major League Soccer as the 2026 World Cup nears.

7. Juan Soto | $114M

Juan Soto shattered expectations after signing a jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, even by baseball’s high-spending standards. His on-field take hit $109 million. And thanks to the buzz he generated, the Mets’ ticket sales surged following his signing. 

At just 26, Juan’s popularity and endorsements by the likes of Call of Duty and top Dominican brands have made him baseball’s financial poster boy, earning $114 million this year.

6. LeBron James | $133.8M

LeBron James has amassed $133.8M, appearing in the sixth position. After more than two decades in the NBA spotlight, LeBron is still making history, not just on the court but also in his bank account.

While his Lakers stint earned him $48.8 million in salary, the larger story is off-court. His production company, SpringHill, is scaling up through a major merger, and he inked a deal to become the first athlete turned Ken doll.

5. Lionel Messi | $135M

Although he is the second-highest paid soccer player, Lionel Messi only ranks as the fifth-highest paid athlete. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner brought home $135 million.

To millions of people, Messi will forever be soccer’s GOAT. Naturally, his arrival in Major League Soccer wasn’t a mere player acquisition for Inter Miami but a transformative event for the league’s global standing. While his $60 million salary is a substantial figure, his endorsements with Adidas and Apple, alongside his own Mas+ beverage, earn him even more, around $75 million.

Also Read: 20 Highest-Paid Footballers in Saudi Pro League History

4. Dak Prescott | $137M

Dak Prescott, American professional football quarterback who plays for the Dallas Cowboys, earns $137 million this year. This quarterback-turned-financial-play-caller knows how to read a market as well as a defense. 

First, Prescott made history with a contract structure that paid him $127 million in salary and bonuses within 12 months. Next were endorsements with Jordan Brand and Lowe’s that added another $10 million to his name. He’s also building a gym empire in Texas via Crunch Fitness partnerships.

3. Tyson Fury | $146M

Boxer Tyson Fury claimed third place with $146 million. Despite losing his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk in December, Fury's income has been boosted by partnerships promoting Maltese tourism and his Netflix reality show named “At Home With the Furys.”

2. Stephen Curry | $156M

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry comes 2nd on the list of highest-paid athletes of the year, earning $156 million. Curry became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in March this year. 

Of Curry's $156 million haul, $100 million comes from off-court dealings, including a major extension with Under Armour’s Curry Brand. He’s invested in everything from hydration startups to women’s basketball leagues. On the hardwood, he still drains threes while mentoring future stars at Davidson, where he now serves as an assistant GM.

Also Read: Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

1. Cristiano Ronaldo | $275M

For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete. At age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.

Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees - the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes. On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.

Cristiano Ronaldo might be playing in Saudi Arabia these days, but he's still racking up records in Portuguese colours. Among male footballers, Ronaldo holds the record for most international goals of all time, as part of his enduring pursuit of titles and records. The 40-year-old also has most international appearances in the history of men's football after playing his 200th game for Portugal in June 2023. 

In this article, we'll look at the active football players with the most international goals.

Also Read: Messi vs Ronaldo: Who has scored the most non-penalty goals?

Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

10. Edin Dzeko | 68 goals

Edin Dzeko is one of the most underrated strikers of his generation. The Inter Milan marksman is 39 years old but is still going strong. He has won the 'Bosnian Footballer of the Year' award three successive times in his career.

Dzeko has been quite prolific for his national team. He has scored 68 goals and provided 21 assists in his international career so far.

9. Harry Kane | 73 goals

Captain Harry Kane became the first player to score two goals on his 100th appearance for England. The striker scored his 67th and 68th international goals in the second half of the Nations League at Wembley over Finland, thundering an excellent strike in off the underside of the bar, then curling in a neat finish.

He also became just the third player to score on his 100th England appearance, after Wayne Rooney (versus Slovenia in 2014) and Bobby Charlton (against Northern Ireland in 1970).

Before kick-off, Kane was presented with a golden cap to mark the achievement, and also wore golden boots during the match.

8. Luis Suarez | 69 goals

Uruguay international Luis Suarez has had an illustrious career. He won the European Golden Shoe twice in the last decade and is widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards of the 21st century.

Suarez, who recently led Uruguay to World Cup qualification, has scored 68 goals in his international career.

7. Neymar | 79 goals

Neymar Jr. is one of the most talented footballers we have seen in the 21st century. He is a joy to watch on the football pitch and is capable of producing moments of magic on a regular basis.

Neymar is one of the most innovative forwards of the modern era. He has been absolutely phenomenal for Brazil and is now surpassed Pele's goalscoring record for Brazil (77). Neymar has scored 79 goals and for the Brazilian national team so far in his career.

6. Robert Lewandowski | 85 goals

Robert Lewandowski is currently the most prolific goalscorer in Europe's top five leagues. The Bayern Munich striker has played some of the best football of his career in recent seasons.

Lewandowski has been a cut above the rest of his national teammates throughout his career. He has been a standout performer for Poland in recent years. The 36-year-old has scored 85 goals for Poland in international football.

Also Read: Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

5. Ali Mabkhout | 85 goals

Al Jazira and UAE legend Ali Mabkhout is a clinical finisher and as well as being one of his club's best scorers. However, he is also the United Arab Emirates' top international scorer of all time. He has a total of 85 international goals to his name. 

During the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals, Mabkhout netted the only goal in a 1–0 victory over defending champions Australia, which helped his country qualify for the semi-finals. Mabkhout scored a hat-trick against Indonesia in a 5–0 win in 2019 to become UAE's all-time leading goalscorer.

4. Romelu Lukaku | 89 goals

Romelu Lukaku has been a beast in attack for Belgium's golden generation. He has consistently produced the goods for his star-studded national team and continues to do so.

Lukaku's form at club level may have fluctuated but he has maintained high standards in international football. The 32-year-old has scored 89 goals in his international career so far.

3. Sunil Chhetri | 95 goals

Sunil Chhetri is regarded as one of the best football players India has ever produced. In a career spanning over two decades, the centre-forward has won many individual as well as team accolades.

With 95 goals to his name in 154 international appearances, Chhetri is the third highest goal-scorer in international matches, only behind Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi of Argentina.

Also Read: Every Indian Team Football Coach Since 1948

Since Sunil Chhetri’s first senior professional goal for Mohun Bagan in the National Football League season (2002-03), the Indian football great has notched up many goal-scoring feats for both club and country.

2. Lionel Messi | 112 goals 

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers, has had a remarkable international career with Argentina. Messi, with 112 international goals, ranks second on the all-time top goal-scorers list, trailing only Ronaldo. Since his debut in 2005, Messi has earned 189 caps, leading Argentina to victories in the Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi can still catch Ronaldo for the record, if he plays on through to the 2026 World Cup and perhaps beyond.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo | 138 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the world record for international goals, scoring 138 for Portugal since making his debut in 2003. He is also the all-time leading appearance-maker in men's international football, having played 221 games, eclipsing the previous record of 196 held by Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa against Liechtenstein on 23 March 2023, and marking the occasion with two goals. He has hit ten international hat-tricks, a record he shares with Lionel Messi.

Also Read: Every Manchester United records that may never be broken

Ronaldo broke the world record for international goals when he scored twice against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's European Qualifier in Faro-Loulé on 1 September 2021, aged 36. He surpassed the existing world-record mark set by former Iran forward Ali Daei, the first man to claim a century of international goals. Lionel Messi joined the elite group on 28 March 2023.