Back to Blog

Messi vs Ronaldo: Who Is Better?

Written by: Tim Harrison

Written by:

Betting Guru

Tim is our betting guru. Every gaming site needs one, and Tim’s our guy. He has plenty of experience in betting online and is quite successful at it. Tim’s favorite sports are hockey, baseball, and Esports. Tim believes the latter to be the future of betting.

Published: 27/12/2022

Updated: 07/02/2024

Football fans and the Internet have been in a heated debate over the past 10+ years – Messi or Ronaldo is best? It’s not easy to determine who is better, Messi or Ronaldo. Both superstars are nearing the end of their careers, and each fanbase is rooting for one or the other. While still going strong, the competition they put on in their primes, including international goals, goal ratio, hat tricks, and even football skills, was insane.

With the World Cup over and Lionel Messi crowned the God of Football, let’s see what the stats and fan bases say about the 2 legends.

Competitions Stats

Messi and Ronaldo have both played in many competitions. Comparing their results is the first step toward answering the eternal question: Messi or Ronaldo – who is the best player?

Champions League

The legendary players are closer than you think regarding goals and CL trophies.

Cristiano Ronaldo has 140 goals, to Messi’s 129. Ronaldo also holds the record for most CL appearances ever.
Regarding trophies, Ronaldo trumps the Argentine king of football with 5 CL trophies to Messi’s 4.

International Competitions

According to Ronaldo vs Messi stats, the Portuguese star has more appearances and goals than Messi in international competitions. He’s scored 118 goals in 196 appearances, while Messi has 98 goals in 172 outings.

However, Lionel Messi won the World Cup this year, which Ronaldo hasn’t been able to do.

FIFA World Player of the Year

Aside from goals, these two legendary competitors can also be ranked by individual awards, which is quite a popular option for FIFA betting sites. Let’s check out this particular Messi vs Ronaldo head-to-head comparison below.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player

This award was handed out by FIFA and was won by Cristiano Ronaldo twice in 2016 and 2017.
Messi surprisingly won it once during his illustrious career in 2019.

FIFA Ballon d’Or

When it comes to the Ballon d’Or, Messi’s impact is unmatched. He has won it 7 times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021).

Cristian Ronaldo has 5 trophies, won in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.

European Golden Shoe

Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Shoe 7 times in his career (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. When you bet on football, especially individual goals, it is something to have in mind.
Ronaldo won the prestigious trophy 5 times in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Detailed Infographic

Messi Vs Ronaldo: Who Is Better? All-Time Career Stats and Infographic. Who’s the greatest footballer of all time? Check out the infographic and stats for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and find out who’s truly the GOAT.

Fan Base

You can’t compare the 2 without measuring the fan base.

According to stats, Ronaldo has 319 million followers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Lionel Messi’s presence on social media isn’t as significant as Ronaldo’s, with 181 million fans on his social networks.

Who Is Richer?

Ronaldo is better than Messi in terms of money earned in his career. The Portuguese superstar has career earnings of $500 million, while Messi has $100 million less.

Final Words

Who is the better player – Messi or Ronaldo? As you can see from the stats, they come pretty close. Messi may have a point-plus due to winning the World Cup, but make no mistake – both are legends in their own right. The football world will mourn their departures from the game and it’ll be some time before we see two other players of the same calibre. Great chance for using betting VIP offers. Master bets with BetZillion.

Scroll up

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo?

It depends on who you prefer. Both are legendary footballers that will most likely go in history as the two top players of all time.
Who has more goals, Messi or Ronaldo?

Is Ronaldo better than Messi in terms of goals? Yes, he is. The Portuguese forward has beaten Messi at the CL and international level.
Who has more trophies, Messi or Ronaldo?

Both are among the most decorated players of all time. Messi has won 42 trophies, while Ronaldo has 34.
Who has more fans, Messi or Ronaldo?

As you saw in our infographic, Ronaldo has an enormous fanbase. But that’s because Lionel Messi doesn’t use social media that much.
Who is richer, Ronaldo or Messi?

Cristiano Ronaldo has earned more money than Messi in his career. His earnings are $500 m. He compared to the $400 million Messi has earned.
Who has more salary, Messi or Ronaldo?

Regarding salaries, Messi is paid more at PSG than Ronaldo was at United. The Portuguese are a free agent, with talks of becoming the most-paid football player if he inks a Saudi Arabian deal.
Who scored the most free-kick goals, Messi or Ronaldo?

In this stat, they are pretty close. Messi has scored 51 free-kick goals, while Ronaldo has 3 fewer.
Who has more Ballon d’Or, Messi or Ronaldo?

With his last win in 2021, Lionel Messi has more Ballon d’Ors than Ronaldo. He’s won the trophy seven times to Ronaldo’s five.
Who has more goals outside the box, Messi or Ronaldo?

Messi is the most prolific scorer outside of the box. He’s hit the target 23 times, one more than Ronaldo.
Who missed the most penalties, Messi or Ronaldo?

Messi also leads the list in this regard, having missed 31 times from the spot to Cristiano’s 28.
Still have questions?
Ask our experts
Sign up & get answer(s)

Author

Tim Harrison

Betting Guru

Essential Soccer Betting Tools

Every experienced punter knows that success in soccer betting, like any other sport, is not about luck. Besides applying the right strategies, you need certain tools if you want to get serious about soccer betting. These resources help you stay ahead of the game even with countless matches and events to wager on. They include but are not limited to a betting calculator, a tool for analysis, an odds comparison tool, and so on. In this article, I'll show you where you can get the essential soccer betting tools to boost your winning chances. Let's dive right in!

Sep 17, 2024

By Rebecca Martin

Betting Challenges Explained

Everyone’s looking to make money with sports betting online, but sometimes, even that’s not enough. Punters like to take things further with challenge bets which rush bookies can’t provide.

Dec 9, 2022

By Rebecca Martin

Comments

(4)

Alex Cole

2 months ago

The Messi vs. Ronaldo debate is endless! Both are absolute legends, but Messi winning the World Cup gives him the edge. Still, Ronaldo’s records in the Champions League are unreal! Total GOAT showdown!

RAKOTOMALALA “Talentueux” Andritiana

6 months ago

The Messi vs. Ronaldo debate highlights two distinct styles of greatness in football, each bringing unique skills and achievements to the sport.

Everardo Stroman Jr.

11 months ago

It’s hard to choose between the two when both have such outstanding careers. Messi’s World Cup win gives him an edge, but Ronaldo’s records and massive fanbase can’t be ignored. Both will surely go down as football legends.

daddy ranaivo

1 year ago

I think honestly both are great players. They have set remarkable records and showcased extraordinary talent. Messi is celebrated for his incredible dribbling and playmaking abilities, while Ronaldo is renowned for his athleticism and goal-scoring prowess. Their contrasting styles and relentless pursuit of excellence have sparked endless debates and admiration among supporters worldwide.