For years, fans and professional players have debated who the greatest soccer player of all time is. In the past, this debate took place between Argentina Legend Diego Maradona and Brazilian legend Pele.
Nowadays, at the forefront of this discussion are two of football's most iconic figures: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Both of these players have redefined what it means to be a top-tier professional footballer, with careers marked by extraordinary achievements, unmatched skill, and over two decades of being at the top of world football.
In this post, we’ll dive deep into the rivalry that has shaped modern football, comparing Messi and Ronaldo across various aspects of the beautiful game.
By the end of this analysis, you’ll be equipped with all the facts you need to weigh in on one of the biggest debates in football history.
Who Is the Greatest Soccer/Football Player of All Time?
The biggest debate in the football world today is who is the greatest soccer player of all time, or in other words, who is the "GOAT" of soccer.
This debate is largely focused on two players, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have both achieved extraordinary success on both club and international levels for the past 20 years.
Let's break down their achievements to understand who has the slight edge when it comes to the GOAT debate.
Club Titles
Lionel Messi spent the majority of his career at FC Barcelona, where he won ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, four Champions League trophies, and many more achievements including a historic six trophies in one year in 2009.
His loyalty to one club allowed him to build a legacy filled with consistency and dominance in Spanish football.
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has showcased his versatility by succeeding in multiple leagues and winning titles in England with Manchester United, in Spain with Real Madrid, and in Italy with Juventus.
He has 7 league titles across his career as well as 5 Champions League titles.
International Titles
When it comes to the international level, Messi and Ronaldo play in different continents, but they have both achieved significant success with their countries.
Most recently Messi secured the 2022 World Cup Trophy for Argentina by leading his team to glory in Qatar. His performance throughout the tournament, including scoring in every knockout round and netting twice in the final, was pivotal in leading Argentina to victory.
In addition to the 2022 World Cup, Messi also won the previous two finals with his country in the Copa América 2021, and the Finalissima 2022, a match between the champions of UEFA and CONMEBOL.
If we take it back even further, Leo Messi also won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2008, which is not officially recognized as a senior-level title by FIFA, but it’s still an important achievement.
On the contrary, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first major international triumph at Euro 2016, a tournament in which he not only captained the side but also played a key role, despite being injured in the final match.
His leadership and coaching from the sidelines were iconic as Portugal defeated France during extra time in the final match.
A few years later, in 2019, Ronaldo would go on to win another trophy for his nation, the inaugural UEFA Nations League title.
Club Goals
Regarding club goals, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have set records that are nothing short of legendary.
Over Messi's career, primarily with FC Barcelona, Messi has scored over 700 goals and his best season came in 2011-2012 when he scored an astonishing 73 goals, something no one else might ever achieve in one season.
Even after moving to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and now at Inter Miami, Messi continues to find the back of the net, showcasing his adaptability across different leagues.
Ronaldo is also one of the few players in world football to have scored more than 700 goals, and there is no sign of him slowing down even at the age of 39 and playing in Saudi Arabia.
Starting his career at Sporting CP, he rose to the top of world football with Manchester United, before truly exploding onto the global scene at Real Madrid and then moving to Juventus and now Al Nassr.
Ronaldo has scored over 700 goals at the club level, making him the leading goal-scorer in the history of Europe’s top five leagues, and his best individual season came in 2014-2015 when he scored 61 goals.
International Goals
When comparing the international careers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, their goal-scoring records are essential to the GOAT debate.
Lionel Messi has scored over 100 goals for Argentina, becoming the nation's all-time leading scorer and he has consistently delivered for his country in various competitions, including the World Cup and Copa América.
Messi currently stands as the second all-time leading goal scorer in international football.
If 100 goals sounds like a lot, wait until you hear how many goals Ronaldo has scored. Cristiano Ronaldo is the player with the record for most goals scored at the international level, with 130 goals scored for Portugal.
Individual Titles & Records:
Messi and Ronaldo are the two players with the most records broken and at the rate they are going, they will probably break a few more records before they hang up their boots.
Although these players have way more titles and records to their names, these are some of the most important ones that they won throughout their careers.
Lionel Messi:
- Ballon d'Or: 7 wins (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021)
- Golden Foot: Winner (2021)
- European Golden Shoe: 6 wins (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 1 win (2009)
- FIFA Best Men's Player: 1 win (2019)
- UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 3 wins (2011, 2015, 2019)
- La Liga Best Player: 8 wins (2009–2015, 2018)
- La Liga Top Scorer (Pichichi Trophy): 8 times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- Copa América Best Player: 2 wins (2015, 2021)
- World Cup Best Player: 2 wins (2014, 2022)
- UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 6 times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019)
- Most Goals in a Calendar Year: 91 goals (2012)
- Most La Liga Goals in a Season: 50 goals (2011-12)
- Most Assists in La Liga History: 192 assists
- Most Goals for a Single Club: 672 goals for FC Barcelona
Cristiano Ronaldo:
- Ballon d'Or: 5 wins (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
- Golden Foot: Winner (2020)
- European Golden Shoe: 4 wins (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015)
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 2 wins (2008, 2016)
- FIFA Best Men's Player: 2 wins (2016, 2017)
- UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 3 wins (2014, 2016, 2017)
- Premier League Player of the Season: 2 times (2007, 2008)
- Serie A Best Player: 2 times (2019, 2020)
- Premier League Golden Boot: 1 time (2008)
- La Liga Top Scorer (Pichichi Trophy): 3 times (2011, 2014, 2015)
- UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 7 times (2008, 2013-2018)
- Most Goals in UEFA Champions League History: 140 goals
- Most International Goals in History: 130 goals for Portugal
- Most Goals in European Championship History: 14 goals
- Most UEFA Champions League Titles: 5 titles (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)
The Verdict
So now that you have all of the data and information about these two players, who is really the GOAT of soccer?
Based on their team and individual awards it's fair to say that the GOAT debate can be given to any of these two players and will vary from person to person.
Some reasons why people may think Messi is the GOAT is because he has won a lot more important trophies, individually, at the club level, and internationally than Ronaldo.
However, some people do not think Messi performed at PSG and believe his success was mainly due to the team he had at Barcelona throughout the years.
This is why other people believe Ronaldo is the GOAT, since he was able to prove himself in various leagues, not just one. There are also people out there that claim Messi is the better overall footballer, but Ronaldo is the better goalscorer.
Whichever side you pick, the truth is it doesn't really matter who you think the real GOAT is.
At this point, Messi and Ronaldo don't have much time left in their careers so it's best to enjoy them both while we can and at least have both players in your list of the GOAT debate, since there is no doubt they are two of the greatest players of all time, not just this generation.
This post was made in collaboration with The Art of Football. The Art of Football is a public blog and private training program designed to help footballers improve on and off the field The Art of Football was created by footballer and Graduate student of Kinesiology, Daniel Pena.
