Messi vs Ronaldo, every number side by side
Ronaldo has scored 985 goals, Messi 937. Messi has 8 Ballon d'Ors to Ronaldo's 5. Pick a stat and see who leads, and by how much.
Ronaldo leads by 48.
Career totals. Ronaldo has more goals and games, Messi more assists and trophies.
The trophy cabinet. Messi has 45 team trophies to Ronaldo's 35, and Ronaldo has one more Champions League.
Team trophies, club and country
The lighter end of each bar is international trophies.
Champions League
Most Champions League goals
140, RonaldoHat-tricks
8 eachGoals in one season
17, RonaldoGoals in one game
5, MessiWho won the Ballon d'Or, 2008 to 2023
Ballon d'Or
8 to 5Messi holds the record for winsEuropean Golden Shoes
6The record, held by MessiFIFA Best and World Player awards
6The record, held by MessiHead to head and El Clásico. In 35 meetings from 2008 to 2023, Messi won 16 and Ronaldo 11.
| All meetings | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 16 | 11 |
| Goals | 22 | 21 |
| Assists | 14 | 1 |
| El Clásico, 27 shared | ||
| Wins | 12 | 9 |
| Goals | 18 | 17 |
| Assists | 12 | 1 |
| Goal involvements | 30 | 18 |
Messi is El Clásico's all-time top scorer with 26 goals, counting games before Ronaldo arrived. Ronaldo is joint second on 18.
Club by club. Three clubs for Messi, six for Ronaldo.
Messi
672 goals for Barcelona, the most by any player at one club.
Ronaldo
450 goals in 438 games for Real Madrid, his best stint.
Goals per game at each club
Club career totals
Club goals
811 to 839Club assists
368 to 254Club games
977 to 1,109Club trophies
41 to 32League titles in four countries
Ronaldo only22 calendar years of goals. Messi led in 10 of them, Ronaldo in 11, and 2006 was level.
2026 is still in progress. Messi's 91 in 2012 is the record for a calendar year.
Argentina and Portugal. Ronaldo holds both men's records for goals and caps.
Senior trophies
- Copa América2021
- Finalissima2022
- World Cup2022
- Copa América2024
- Euro2016
- Nations League2019
- Nations League2025
*Ronaldo's international assists are an estimate.
Messi's senior finals: 9 played
Ronaldo's senior finals: 3 played
Finals won
Messi lost his first four senior finals before winning four of the next five.
38 all-time records. Messi holds 22 of them, Ronaldo 16.
Held by Messi
Held by Ronaldo
How the goals went in
Foot splits are rounded shares: no governing body publishes exact counts.
Penalties and free kicks
Guess who has more. Ten questions from the numbers above.
Question 1 of 10 · Score 0
Who has more Champions League titles?
What they and their coaches said. Paraphrased from press conferences and interviews.
"The rivalry was good for football, not for us. We've never been friends, but we were never rivals off the pitch either."
"We have shared the stage for 15 years. I don't know if it has ever happened before in any sport."
"There won't be another rivalry like this. Two players, both reaching their peak at the same time. We will not see it again in our lifetimes."
"I never had to motivate Cristiano. He motivated himself. The era he and Messi shared is the best period this sport has ever had."
"Don't write about him, don't try to describe him. Just watch him."
"He has the lot: physical, technical, mental. He's the best young player I've ever signed."
"I always said I'd give up everything to win one of these. Now I have it, the rest doesn't matter."
"Congratulations to him. A career-defining trophy for a great champion who deserves it."