The debate over who is better between the Portuguese phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo and the Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has been a long-standing and passionate discussion among football fans. Both players have achieved extraordinary success and have their own unique styles, making it difficult to determine the superior one definitively.
Both superstars have shared the incredible stage of football for over a decade, demonstrating their greatness repeatedly. Just these two have won 12 of the last 14 Ballon d’Or awards. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have massive respect for each other, and the Portuguese superstar has spoken about his respect for the Argentinian talisman once again.
Cristiano Ronaldo weighed in on GOAT debate
Cristiano Ronaldo’s speech at a press conference ahead of Portugal’s EURO qualifiers about his rivalry with Lionel Messi reveals no rivalry at all. Despite all opposition, the player considers himself and Lionel Messi to be two great players who have changed the game’s dynamics forever. The Portuguese and the Argentine superstars will always be role models for the younger players coming up.
Demonstrating their individual brilliance, both players have won several prestigious individual awards known to the World of football. Lionel Messi has seven Ballon d’Ors, while Cristiano Ronaldo has five in his cabinet. There are also several Golden Boot Awards between them. Their excellent achievements for their respective countries will always be remembered in history.
Lionel Messi now has a World Cup trophy in his cabinet, while Cristiano Ronaldo is gunning for his second EURO championship. Ronaldo believes the respect between him and Leo is mutual even though they are not exactly friends. In his press conference, he spoke thus;
“If you like Cristiano, you don’t have to hate Messi. We changed the history of football, and we continue to do so. He is following his own path, just as I am following mine, regardless of whether we play outside Europe,” said the former Madrid man.”
“The rivalry? I don’t see stuff like that; we shared the stage for 15 years! I don’t say we’re friends, but we respect each other.”
The excellence that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have shared is not to be viewed from the standpoint of an intense rivalry between them but as their tremendous and perhaps unreplicable contribution to the world of football.
Ronaldo and Messi’s enduring 15-year rivalry defined La Liga’s golden era
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s dominance in La Liga was unrivaled. Messi played a crucial role in Barcelona’s dominance in La Liga, helping the club win numerous league titles during this period. On the other hand, Ronaldo was a key figure in Real Madrid’s pursuit of La Liga glory and helped them secure the title in the 2011–12 season.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have a phenomenal record of La Liga and Champions League glory. Ronaldo won two La Liga titles and two Copa Del Rey trophies for Madrid, while Messi won ten La Liga titles and seven Copa Del Rey trophies. Messi, however, spent a much longer time with Barcelona than Ronaldo did with Real Madrid. Both players have won the Champions League for Barcelona and Real Madrid four times.
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have impressively scored more than 700 goals each in their club careers up to this point. The period from 2009–10 to 2014–15 was a remarkable phase in their careers, marked by fierce competition that drove them to achieve even greater heights.
According to Goal, Ronaldo has a higher total goal count. Still, Messi holds the advantage in scoring efficiency, boasting an average of 37.9 goals per season (compared to Ronaldo’s 35). Messi’s peak came in the 2011–12 season when he astonishingly netted 73 goals. However, his scoring average dipped after a less successful debut season at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021–22.
The GOAT debate may continue, but there is no doubt that these two have been at the peak of footballing brilliance during their prime, and a rivalry like this won’t be replicated for a long time.
