Messi or Ronaldo – who is truly the best13 min read

Messi or Ronaldo, it’s always difficult to choose who is truly the best player in the world. Check out this ultimate guide to understand who is the best player of all time between MESSI OR RONALDO.

The question of who is best is something that still doesn’t have any perfect answer. The Portuguese monster and the phenomenal Argentine have dominated the game as no one does in the past. This Rivalry is considered to be the best of all time.

Every football fans have their own opinion. The legends of the Club and national stars have their own choices, while every legend of the game has their own pick between the two of the greatest player of all time.

Social media always started to buzz when any topic arises to compare the two best footballers of this modern era. Both players have a huge fan following on social media

Both have experienced outstanding careers, winning lots of trophies with their respective teams, scoring a multitude of goals against the opposition, and collecting numerous individual accolades.

Let’s check out this ultimate guide to understand and find out who is truly the best player between Messi or Ronaldo:-

Messi or Ronaldo – Who Is Truly The Best Player

Stats show why Messi is truly the best

Both Ronaldo and Messi are phenomenal on the field and have impressive stats, but when we see the style of the play of both players it proves that Messi makes better decisions on the field, moreover Messi is completely a team man.

Messi is a better team player than Ronaldo

Messi does not only score multiple goals, his vision, and how he sees the game are completely different from other players. Leo is a complete playmaker, his presence on the pitch makes other players better.

Messi is involved in more goals as compared to Ronaldo, Not only does he assist more he had a phenomenal vision to keep his teammates involved. He has a great connection with other players on the field.

While Ronaldo is more of a lethal goalscorer, who plays high action football and scores great goals when the chances are created by the teammates on the other hand Messi is also capable of exploiting the defense with his dribbling skills and scores the goals but he is also keen on being back and keeping possession of the ball so that he can assist his teammates on with pin-point passes, we have already seen the recent connection of Jordi alba with Messi. This versatility makes him a better player than Ronaldo.

Style of play

Messi and Ronaldo are completely different players with different mindsets and different styles of play. Ronaldo is considered to be the best in humans while Messi is considered to be not from this planet.

Ronaldo is an explosive player, with great headers and a player who can change the game in the blink of an eye. He is having a strong mind capable of handling any pressure while on the other hand Messi is a genius but sometimes Messi can’t perform under pressure. This is one of the aspects in which Ronaldo has an edge over Messi. Ronaldo is a more skillful player while Messi focused on his dribbling skills.

The Argentine is a natural talent while Ronaldo is a trained professional. Messi is a magician while Ronaldo is a monster on the pitch. Messi dribbling is considered to be out of this world and may be considered the best the game has ever seen, while on the other’s side Ronaldo is one of the best skillful players of all time and has great ability to head the ball which cant be compared to anyone. Ronaldo is the best penalty taker and his eye-popping moves will leave people speechless and he is more athletic than Messi.

Why Ronaldo is truly the best player

soccer is considered to be one of the most difficult games to play. Todays’ soccer is more athletic and more competitive than before. The modern football game has more pace, more skills, and needs more fitness to compete against different teams and different players on individual levels.

While Messi might have born talented to play soccer, Ronaldo’s fitness and technical abilities just make him better than the genius. He is 6’’1 with the jumping ability and the great header of the ball the world has ever seen. Ronaldo’s breathtaking pace, good dribbling skills, powerful shooting with both feet, and header ability make defenders hell.

He is simply a demanding player for today’s modern football game. His fitness and athleticism are par excellence than anyone else. If we talk about modern football Ronaldo is more complete than Messi.

The international criterion

Ronaldo’s international career is more dazzling than Messi’s. Ronaldo had proved his worth at the international level while Messi still hunting for a major international trophy. Messi has lost three finals in a row including the world cup in 2014 and two Copa America finals.

Ronaldo on the other hand led Portugal to win the 2016 Euro Championship against mighty France. Ronaldo won the 2019 UEFA Nations League against the Netherlands with a scoreline of 1-0 to become the first champions of the UEFA Nations League. In every sports world cup or an international glory is an ultimate goal for most of the players. Pele’s three World Cup trophies cemented his place as one of the best, and Diego Maradona lifting the world cup for Argentina puts him before Messi on the GOAT list.

The Rivalry Between The Goats

Messi and Ronaldo’s rivalry started when they came up against each other in La Liga, Messi has won an unbelievable 34 trophies at Barcelona. He has lifted 10 La Liga titles as part of 6 Copa del Rey honors. He won 8 Spanish Super Cups, 4 Champions Leagues, 3 UEFA Super Cups, and 3 FIFA Club World Cups, including two trebles.

While Ronaldo led Real Madrid to three Club World Cups wins, UEFA Super Cups, two LaLiga titles, two of Copas del Rey, and four Champions League trophies, including three in a row. Ronaldo became the fastest player in the La Liga competition to score 150, 200, 250, and 300 goals in La Liga. He was also the top scorer of the Champions league in 5 different seasons.

The last decade is completely dominated by the two best players of all time. The two forwards combined to win 11 Ballon d’Or Awards, six for Messi, and five for Ronaldo. The two players have been exceptional and breaking records on and off the field.

Cristiano Ronaldo has 737 goals and 216 assists in 1,014 appearances for the club and the country, while Leo Messi has 704 goals and 298 assists in 869 appearances.

Let us take a deep look at the stats of how the two have dominated football with facts and figures.

Messi or Ronaldo who is truly the best player in terms of Club goals for each season

Season	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
2002-03	5	NA
2003-04	6	NA
2004-05	9	1
2005-06	12	8
2006-07	23	17
2007-08	42	16
2008-09	26	38
2009-10	33	47
2010-11	53	53
2011-12	60	73
2012-13	55	60
2013-14	51	41
2014-15	61	58
2015-16	51	41
2016-17	42	54
2017-18	44	45
2018-19	28	51
2019-20	37	31

Stats show that Ronaldo has scored more club goals than Messi, but it’s also a fact that Ronaldo had played two more seasons than his rivals Lionel Messi.

While stats show Ronaldo scored more goals than Messi, while in terms of an average Messi is far better than Ronaldo. Messi has been a record goalscorer in a single season scoring 73 goals in 2011-12.

Ronaldo’s highest goals in a single season were 61, which he accomplished in the 2014-15 season. He was also the first player to score more than 50 goals consecutively for six years.

Ronaldo is no more impressive in recent years after he departs from the Real Madrid club. While Ronaldo failed to reach the 30-goal mark in the 2018-19 season with Juventus Messi had shown no sign of stopping.

Messi or Ronaldo who is truly the best player in terms of Club assists for each season

Season	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
2009-10	7	11
2010-11	16	21
2011-12	15	29
2012-13	12	14
2013-14	14	11
2014-15	21	27
2015-16	15	23
2016-17	11	16
2017-18	8	18
2018-19	10	19
2019-20	5	25

Assists are something where Messi completely dethrone Ronaldo, the stats clearly show that Messi is much superior to Ronaldo while assisting his teammates over the years. He makes players better with his involvement on the pitch.

Due to Messi scoring capabilities and creating chances on the field, finally settled the debate that which player is the best, while Ronaldo also had multiple assists on his name the difference is still clear with the above facts and the figures.

Messi or Ronaldo who is the best player in terms of All-time Champions League stats

Champions League stat	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
Games played	176	149
Goals scored	134	120
Goals ratio per game	0.76	0.81

Ronaldo is an all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League with 134 goals and that’s why he is considered as Mr. Champions League, on the other side Messi is just behind Ronaldo with 120 goals. As far as stats are concerned Messi has a better goal ratio than Ronaldo in the Champions League. There is a great chance that the Argentine will overtake the Portuguese if he continues to score goals at the same pace in the coming years.

Messi or Ronaldo who is truly the best player in terms of World Cup stats

World Cup stats	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
Games played	17	19
Goals scored	7	6
Goals ratio per game	0.4	0.3

World Cups’ performance for both the legends is not so impressive as compared to other competitions.

Ronaldo has scored more goals at the world cup while Messi is the one who has reached the final with Argentina in 2014 which he lost against Germany. Messi also won the golden ball of the tournament for his performance throughout the campaign.

Messi or Ronaldo who is truly the best player in terms of International stats

International Stat	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
International appearance	179	151
International goals scored	109	76
Goals ratio per game	0.6	0.5

Ronaldo and Messi both are good at the international level though Ronaldo had won a major trophy with Portugal, while Messi came up close to winning a major trophy with Argentina.

Ronaldo is tied with Ali Daei’s record of most international goals(109). Ronaldo could break this record very soon. it’s just a matter of time.

Messi is now a record goalscorer for Argentina. Messi broke Batistuta’s record of 54 goals for Argentina at the Copa America in 2017.

Career Titles

Competition	Ronaldo	Messi
World Cup	0	0
UEFA Champions League	5	4
League titles	7	10
European Championship / Copa America	1	1
Olympics	0	1
National Cups	3	6
Club World Cup	4	3

Messi and Ronaldo have won multiple trophies during his career. Leo dominates things when it comes to league titles, while Ronaldo dominating in the Champions League.

Messi has won 10 La Liga trophies while Ronaldo won 7 league titles in their career. Leo is a player who stayed in Barcelona and dominated the league titles completely while Ronaldo had won League titles in England, Spain, and Italy.

Ronaldo has won 5 Champions League in his career and he could become the only player after Francisco Gento to win the Champions League on 6 different occasions if he can help Juventus to lift the trophy in the 2020-21 season.

Individual accolades

Award	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
Ballon d’Or	5	6
Best FIFA Men’s Player	2	1
UEFA Player of the Year	4	3
European Golden Shoe	4	6
World Cup Golden Ball	0	1
League Player of the Year	4	6
FIFPro World XI	13	13

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated every league, competition, and tournament over the past decade, in the same way, they have dominated the awards as well.

Messi and Cristiano are the two players with the most Ballon d’Or in the history of football. Leo winning the 2019 Ballon D’or helped him to go ahead of his rival. We have to wait and see who will come on top when both the legends say goodbye to their careers.

Ronaldo had more FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards and has won more UEFA Best Player of the Year on multiple occasions, while Messi has won more league Player of the Year as compared to Ronaldo.

Messi has won more European Golden Shoe than Ronaldo, this shows Messi’s performance when compared to Europe’s top 5 leagues, but we can’t deny the fact that they have been in FIFPro World XI 13 times in their Illustrious career, which shows how close the battle is.

So, Who’s the GOAT?

Well, it depends on, everyone has a different taste, however, if we see the stats, Messi has been brilliant and a complete player, while Ronaldo is someone who sets an example for the team.

Ronaldo has the quality of a leader and possesses a strong mind who is capable of handling pressure which Messi doesn’t show often. Both have broken records on and off the field. Both came up against each other on multiple occasions and both have shown the world something different with their talent.

So stop comparing and enjoy the game of the two greatest players of all time.