Is Messi or Ronaldo Still the GOAT? Just as the five greats of the world are a subject of serious discussion, the curiosity to know who is the greatest player of all time persists among people.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi – Who is the GOAT? This is the biggest puzzle in football after the ‘Diego Maradona or Pele?’ debate.
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo – Who is the GOAT? Pele or Maradona? After the debate, this is one of the biggest puzzles in football.
The question of who is better between the Portuguese and the Argentine has been dominating all football fans for the past decade and will continue to do so in the future.
So who is the greatest footballer of all time? You need to consider who you choose. So let’s take a closer look at who we can call the GOAT.
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Season | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2002-03 | – |
| 6 | 2003-04 | – |
| 9 | 2004-05 | 1 |
| 12 | 2005-06 | 8 |
| 23 | 2006-07 | 17 |
| 42 | 2007-08 | 16 |
| 26 | 2008-09 | 38 |
| 33 | 2009-10 | 47 |
| 53 | 2010-11 | 53 |
| 60 | 2011-12 | 73 |
| 55 | 2012-13 | 60 |
| 51 | 2013-14 | 41 |
| 61 | 2014-15 | 58 |
| 51 | 2015-16 | 41 |
| 42 | 2016-17 | 54 |
| 44 | 2017-18 | 45 |
| 28 | 2018-19 | 51 |
| 37 | 2019-20 | 31 |
| 36 | 2020-21 | 38 |
| 24 | 2021-22 | 11 |
| 17 | 2022-23 | 21 |
| 50 | 2023-24/2023 | 11 |
| 10 | 2024-25/2024 | 23 |
| 775 | Total | 738 |
Ronaldo has scored slightly more goals for the club than Messi, but it’s worth noting that the Portuguese star has enjoyed two more seasons than his Argentine counterpart so far.
They have both scored over 700 goals in their careers for club and country, each surpassing the other in the five seasons they played together between 2009–10 and 2014–15.
Despite Ronaldo currently having more goals, Messi is ahead in the scoring department, averaging a better season (37.9 to 35), with Messi reaching his highest goal tally of 73 in 2011–12, although his average has fallen significantly in 2021–22 due to a poor performance at PSG.
Ronaldo’s highest goal tally in a season was 61, which he achieved in 2014–15, and he has surpassed the 50-goal mark in each of the last six seasons between 2010–11 and 2015–16.
Interestingly, while Ronaldo’s goal tally has declined slightly in recent years – he failed to score 30 goals in his first season at Juventus in 2018-19 – Messi’s goal tally has remained consistent, although Messi’s goal rate has slowed somewhat since joining PSG.
Table of Contents
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Club Assists Comparison
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Season | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2002-03 | 0 |
| 6 | 2003-04 | 0 |
| 8 | 2004-05 | 0 |
| 8 | 2005-06 | 3 |
| 14 | 2006-07 | 3 |
| 7 | 2007-08 | 13 |
| 9 | 2008-09 | 17 |
| 8 | 2009-10 | 11 |
| 16 | 2010-11 | 23 |
| 15 | 2011-12 | 30 |
| 12 | 2012-13 | 15 |
| 14 | 2013-14 | 14 |
| 21 | 2014-15 | 27 |
| 15 | 2015-16 | 23 |
| 11 | 2016-17 | 16 |
| 8 | 2017-18 | 18 |
| 10 | 2018-19 | 19 |
| 5 | 2019-20 | 25 |
| 5 | 2020-21 | 12 |
| 3 | 2021-22 | 14 |
| 4 | 2022-23 | 19 |
| 13 | 2023-24/2023 | 5 |
| 3 | 2024-25/2024 | 13 |
| 219 | Total | 320 |
In terms of assists, Messi is far ahead of Ronaldo.
The difference in which player can be considered the best is clearly understood in this particular case.
Who has won more titles, Messi or Ronaldo?
They are both the most decorated players of all time as of 2025, having won a total of 77 official trophies in their careers, with Messi winning 44 and Ronaldo 33.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Individual awards
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Award | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Ballon d’Or | 8 |
| 2 | The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 3 |
| 4 | European Golden Shoe | 6 |
| 0 | World Cup Golden Ball | 2 |
| 4 | UEFA Player of the Year | 3 |
| 15 | FIFPro World XI | 17 |
| 4 | Player of the Year (league) | 6 |
One of the most talked-about topics in modern football for the past decade and more has been the personal battle between Ronaldo and Messi.
Messi surpassed Ronaldo by winning his sixth Ballon d’Or in 2019 and his seventh in 2021 and his eighth in 2023.
Messi is even more proud of his new FIFA ‘The Best’ award, where Ronaldo was named UEFA Player of the Year, but Messi has won more League Player of the Year titles than him. Of course, it must be said that Ronaldo has won the Player of the Year award in Spain, England and Italy.
Messi has won the Golden Boot six times, two more than Ronaldo and slightly ahead of his rival overall, but the fact that both have been in the FIFPro World XI 14 times is an extreme example of how intense the battle has been.
Read More: The World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players
