Highlights
- Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times, with Messi winning 16 matches and Ronaldo winning 11 matches.
- Messi has scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in their clashes, while Ronaldo has scored 21 goals and provided 1 assist.
- Despite their intense rivalry, Messi and Ronaldo's overall goalscoring record against each other is incredibly close, with just a single goal separating them after 36 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Who is the greatest player of all time? It's a debate that has been raging on for many years. Ronaldo has the bragging rights when it comes to goals scored. Messi has the bragging rights when it comes to the Ballon d'Or. Oh, and the small matter of winning the World Cup.
They're now both in the twilight of their careers. Both have left European football seemingly for good. Ronaldo left Manchester United for Saudi Arabia while Messi left behind his struggles in Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami. Their paths may never cross again.
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But at the peak of their powers, they were clashing on the regular. Their first three meetings came in the Champions League with Ronaldo at Manchester United and Messi at Barcelona. United got the better of Barca in the 2007/08 Champions League semi-final, although neither scored over the two legs. The Portuguese star did miss a penalty during the 0-0 in the first leg before Paul Scholes' strike saw Sir Alex Ferguson's side reach the final. One year later, the two sides met in the Champions League final with Messi scoring during Barcelona's 2-0 triumph in Rome.
But then it was time for the Barcelona vs Real Madrid rivalry that established both players as world superstars. From 2009 to 2018, the pair competed against each other in Spain in what were always must-watch clashes for every football fan.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Head-to-head record
Every time Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other
Messi and Ronaldo did actually face each other in a 37th match during an exhibition game between Riyadh XI and Paris Saint-Germain. The match finished 5-4 to PSG with Messi scoring once and Ronaldo bagging twice. However, as that wasn't an official match we haven't included it in our stats. Now, a video has emerged that shows every goal scored by either Messi or Ronaldo in games against each other.
Video: Every goal Messi and Ronaldo scored against each other
Footage shows every goal scored
Messi vs Ronaldo stats
How their stats compare in head-to-head games
Calling upon the in-depth resources over at messivsronaldo.app, we've been able to take a look at which player out of Ronaldo and Messi has performed the best when they've been staring at each other from opposite ends of the pitch. Who comes out on top when the Ronaldo vs Messi debate literally becomes Messi vs Ronaldo over 90 minutes of football?
Messi vs Ronaldo: The winner...
It's tight, but Messi has the edge over Cristiano
The moral of the story is that Messi has a better individual set of statistics when it comes to direct clashes against Ronaldo, but boy is it close. Yes, Messi has more assists, more hat-tricks, more free-kick goals, more headed goals and just as many weak-footed goals, but that key metric of overall goals is nail-bitingly tight. It's crazy to think that after 36 games, many of which were between Barcelona and Real Madrid, that Ronaldo and Messi find themselves separated by just a single strike. In fact, astonishingly, there's just 18 seconds of difference in their minutes per goal rate.
Messi and Ronaldo to meet again in 2024
Inter Miami face Al-Nassr in February
Messi and Ronaldo will go head-to-head again, possibly for the final time in their careers, in February 2024. Messi's current employers Inter Miami initially denied reports that they'd agreed to participate in the Riyadh Season Cup friendly tournament; however, the Major League Soccer outfit have confirmed they will now take part in the tournament.
"These matches will offer important tests for our team, which will benefit us as we approach the new season," Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said, per ESPN. "We're excited for our group to get the chance to go up against teams with as much quality as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr."
Inter Miami face Al-Hilal on January 29 before taking on Ronaldo's Al-Nassr on February 1. All eyes will be on Messi and Ronaldo as they prepare for what could potentially be their 'Last Dance'.
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