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

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have revolutionized football with their goalscoring and match winning abilities in the last two decades. Messi, the Argentine legend has won the most trophies in football history while Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese legend has scored the most official goals in football history. The Messi vs Ronaldo: Who is the G.O.A.T debate has been going on there since both of them dominated every record in football history. 

As they both are completey unique, has a different flair and style to their game, it is really hard to choose between them from a subjective point of view. Thus, there is always a chance of being biase to a specific style or player. That is why we have brought in the statistical overview of the Messi vs Ronaldo debate to choose who is the 'Greatest of all time."

Messi vs Ronaldo: Who has scored more goals?

Let's start with the basic thing; Goalscoring. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are one of the most prolific goalscorers in football history. Scoring 50+ goals in a season used to be fun for both the legends. Messi, who started his career with FC Barcelona created the record for the most goals scored in a calender year when he scored 91 goals in 2012. On the other hand, Ronaldo and Messi crossed the 50+ goals mark in a calender year a total 17 times (Messi 9, Ronaldo 8).

Here is a comparison between Messi and Ronaldo in terms of Career Goals.

Read Also | "I want to reach 1000 goals:" Cristiano Ronaldo wants to score 1000 goals 

Who has playeed more matches and more minutes? 

Well, Cristiano Ronaldo has played 1236 compettive matches while Lionel Messi has played 1069 matches so far in his career. Ronaldo has played 100,846 minutes while Messi has played 87,827 minutes including his club and international career.

Who is more effiecient in scoring goals?

Though Cristiano Ronaldo is ahead of interms of scoring the more goals, Lionel Messi is the more proven to be more effective as a goalscorer if we take the minutes/goal or goals/match into consideration. Howevver, you have to take in consideration that in his early days, Ronaldo used to be a winger and later became the goal machine he is known for.

The above stat suggests that Lionel Messi has a better Goals per game record that Cristiano Ronaldo. Moreover, he peeps Ronaldo on the minutes/goal stat as well.

Read Also | Most Iconic Rivalries in European Football Leagues: History & Stats 

Who is better goal scorer at club level?

Lionel Messi spent 18-seasons with FC Barcelona before making a move to PSG due to Barcelona's delicate financial situation in 2021. However, after playing only two seasons with he club, he made a move to Inter Miami in 2023. Messi is the leading goal scorer in La Liga history with 474 goals and is also scored a record 672 goals for FC Barcelona in his club career.

On the other hand, Ronaldo found success at every club he has player for. In fact, he is the only player to score more than 100+ goals in three different top five European leagues in the world. He is the top scorer for Real Madrid with 450 goals and scored more than 100 goals for Manchester United and Juventus as well.

Known as Mr. Champions League, Cristiano is the highest goal scorer in UEFA Champions League history with 140 goals.

The club record also shows how consistent Ronaldo has been throughout is long club career and remained on the pitch for a stunning 1023 club games. However, it is Messi again who has been more efficient scoring the goals if we take Messi's 99 minutes per goal record in his club career.

Read Also | Breaking Down the Most Iconic Football Facts and Moments of All Time 

Who is the better goalscorer in Leagues?

Lionel Messi has been prolific in the football leagues he has played for scoring 509 goals in just 596 matches at 95 minutes per goal rate. Meantime, Ronaldo has taken 700 league matches to reach 549 goals at 103 minutes per goal rate.

Read Also | Top 5 Players who have missed the most penalties in their career 

Who is better goalscorer in UEFA Champions League?

There is no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best-ever to play in the UEFA Champions League with 140 goals in 183 matches, winning five trophies. 

Meantime, Lionel Messi has the better goal scoring rate than Ronaldo in UCL with 129 goals in 163 matches. 

Who has scored more hat-tricks?

In terms of hat-tricks scored in their careers, Cristiano Ronlaod is ahead by a long tha Lionel Messi. Ronaldo till now has scored 66 hat-tricks in his career and Messi has 57 against his name. Ronaldo has 56 hat-tricks for clubs and 10 for Portugal. Meantime, Messi has 48 club and 9 international hat-tricks. 

Though Ronaldo has more number of hat-tricks, Messi has more non-penalty hat-tricks (hat-tricks without a penalty goal). With respect of Ronaldo's 34 non-penalty hat-tricks, Messi has 45 non-penalty hat-tricks.

Ronaldo till now has scored a hat-trick in every 18.7 games while Messi has scored a hat-trick in every 18.8 games. 

Read Also | Messi vs Ronaldo: The hat-trick battle

Free-kicks, Penalties, Left-foot, Right-foot and Headers and More

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

Messi vs Ronaldo: The Assist Battle

No one in football history has provided more assists in football history. As per transfermarkt, Messi has a whooping 413 assists in his career while Ronaldo has 285 assists in his career so far. Although there have some mismatch with the data of total assists of both these players, Sportz Point considers transfermarket's data to be factual.

In terms of goal contributions, Messi has a sublime record of 70.2 mins per contribution in his career whereas Ronaldo has a career goal contribution rate of 85.1 mins/G+A.

Read Also | 10 players with the Most Assists in football history (Club + Country) 

Messi vs Ronaldo: World Cup stats

Perhaps, this might be the stat that gives Lionel Messi a slight edge of Cristiano Ronaldo after the Argentine won the FIFA World Cup 2022. Messi has taken Argentina to two World Cup finals and won once. Meantime, Cristiano failed to fullfil his dream with Portugal.

In five World Cups, Messi played 26 games and scored 13 goals while Ronaldo played 22 games and scored 8 times in the same number of World Cups.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Who has won the most trophies

Lionel Messi is the most successful footballer in terms of trophies in football hisotry. The little magician from Argentina has won a record 45 trophies in his career. Meantime, Cristiano Ronaldo comes at number 8 on the list of players with most trophies in football history with 35 trophies to his name.

Read Also | 10 players who have won the most trophies in football history 

Ballon d'Or battle

Just like the trophies, none in football history has won more Ballon d'Or awards than Lionel Messi. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner won a record 8 Ballon d'Ors while Cristiano Ronaldo won the award 5 times in his career.

From 2008 to 2017, for a straight 10 years no one except for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or award. That is how dominating Messi and Ronaldo were during their prime.

The Ultimate G.O.A.T Comparison