Messi–Ronaldo rivalry

The Messi–Ronaldo rivalry is a football rivalry between fans of Argentinian forward Lionel Messi and Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo and supposedly between the athletes themselves. Having won a combined 11 Ballon d'Or/FIFA Ballon d'Or awards (six for Messi and five for Ronaldo), both are widely regarded not only as the two best players of their generation, but also, by most in the sport, including players, writers and fans, as two of the greatest of all time. They are two of the most decorated football players ever, having won a combined 65 trophies (Ronaldo 31, Messi 34) during their careers thus far, and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a single season. They are amongst the 28 players in the history of the sport to score over 500 career goals, currently ranked 5th (Ronaldo) and 7th (Messi), respectively, with both having scored over 700 goals each in their careers for club and country.[1][2] Sports journalists and pundits regularly argue the individual merits of both players in an attempt to establish who they believe is the best player in modern football or ever.[3][4][5][6][7] It has been compared to past global sports rivalries such as the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Roger Federer–Rafael Nadal rivalry and the Björn Borg–John McEnroe rivalry in tennis, and the Ayrton Senna–Alain Prost rivalry in Formula One motor racing.[8][9][10]

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi before an international friendly between Argentina and Portugal in Geneva, Switzerland, 9 February 2011
This article is part of a series about
Lionel Messi

Argentine professional footballer

Eponym

Films
This article is part of a series about
Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese professional footballer

Eponyms

Films

Some commentators choose to analyse the differing physiques and playing styles of the two,[11] while part of the debate revolves around the contrasting personalities of the two players: Ronaldo is sometimes described as someone of temperamental character while Messi is portrayed as having a more reserved character.[12][13][14][15]

At club level, Messi and Ronaldo represented rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid for nearly a decade. The two players faced each other at least twice every season in the world's most popular regular-season club game, El Clásico (among the most viewed annual sporting events), from Ronaldo's arrival at Real in 2009 until his transfer to Italian club Juventus F.C. in 2018.[16][17] Off the field, they are also the face of two rival sportswear manufacturers, Messi of Adidas and Ronaldo of Nike, which are also the kit suppliers of their national teams and the opposite for their clubs.[18][19][20] The two highest-paid players in football, Messi and Ronaldo are among the world's best-paid sports stars in combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings. In 2018, Messi edged Ronaldo on Forbes' list of best-paid athletes, earning $111 million, with Ronaldo next at $108 million.[21] They have the two largest social media followings in the world among sportspeople with a combined 211 million Facebook fans in 2019, Ronaldo having 122 million and Messi 93 million. As well as a combined 358 million followers on Instagram as of 2019, Ronaldo is the most followed individual on the entire service, with over 211 million followers whilst Messi has 151 million followers.[22]

History

In 2007, Ronaldo and Messi finished as runners-up to A.C. Milan's Kaká in both the Ballon d'Or, an award rewarded to the player voted as the best in the world by an international panel of sports journalists; and the FIFA World Player of the Year, an award voted for by coaches and captains of international teams. In an interview that year, Messi was quoted as saying "Cristiano Ronaldo is an extraordinary player and it would be brilliant to be in the same team as him".[23][24]

They first played in a game against each other when Manchester United were drawn to play Barcelona in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals and were immediately pitted as major rivals.[25][26][27] Ronaldo missed a penalty in the first leg,[28] but United eventually advanced to the final via a Paul Scholes goal.[29] At the end of the year, Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or and vowed that he would win the award again.[30][31]

The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was contested between Manchester United and Barcelona on 27 May 2009 at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match, described as a "dream clash",[32] was again hyped as the latest battle between the two, this time to settle who was the best player in the world;[33][34] Ronaldo claimed he was the better of the two[35] while Messi's club-mate Xavi sided with him.[36] United manager Alex Ferguson was more diplomatic, praising both players as being amongst the world's elite talents.[37][38] Messi, playing in a central role he was unaccustomed to so he would avoid a direct battle with United left-back Patrice Evra,[39] scored Barcelona's second in a 2–0 victory with a header in the 70th minute.[40] Meanwhile, Ronaldo was subdued for much of the game despite some early chances to score and his frustration eventually showed when he was booked for a rash tackle on Carles Puyol.[41][42]

Relationship between Messi and Ronaldo

In a 2015 interview, Ronaldo commented on the rivalry by saying that "I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high"[43] while Ronaldo's manager during his time at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, opined that "I don't think the rivalry against each other bothers them. I think they have their own personal pride in terms of wanting to be the best".[44] Messi has denied any rivalry, and blames the media for creating it: "only the media, the press, who wants us to be at loggerheads but I've never fought with Cristiano".[45]

However, it is widely argued and documented that there's an atmosphere of tension between the duo, with Guillem Balagué claiming in Messi that Ronaldo refers to his Argentine counterpart as "motherfucker" behind his back,[46][47] and Luca Caioli saying in his book, Ronaldo: The Obsession for Perfection, that according to his sources, Ronaldo heats up when watching Messi play.[48] In response to claims that he and Messi do not get on well on a personal level, Ronaldo commented: "We don't have a relationship outside the world of football, just as we don't with a lot of other players", before adding that in years to come he hopes they can laugh about it together, stating: "We have to look on this rivalry with a positive spirit, because it's a good thing".[49] On 13 November 2014, Ronaldo also threatened to take legal action over the remarks made by Balagué.[50] After Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid to Juventus, Messi admitted to missing him, saying: "I miss Cristiano. Although it was a bit difficult to see him win trophies, he gave La Liga prestige."[51] During a joint interview at the UEFA Player of the Year ceremony in 2019, Ronaldo said he would like to "have dinner together in the future". And Messi had a reply for that later "If I get an invitation, why not."[52]

Awards and records
See also: List of career achievements by Cristiano Ronaldo
See also: List of career achievements by Lionel Messi

Throughout the existence of the rivalry, the pair have dominated awards ceremonies and broken a multitude of goalscoring records for both club and country, feats which have been described as "incredible", "ridiculous" and "remarkable".[53][54][55] The rivalry itself has been described as one about records and reputation of the players, rather than one based in loathing.[56][57]

Messi is the all-time La Liga top scorer, as well as having the most assists in the competition's history – with Ronaldo in second for goals scored and in third for assists provided[58] – while Ronaldo is the UEFA Champions League all-time top goalscorer and assist provider, with Messi in second for goals scored and assists provided in the competition's history. The two had broken each other's record over the course of 2015 after Messi surpassed the previous record holder Raúl in November 2014.[59] Ronaldo opened a gap in the 2015–16 season when he became the first player to score double figures in the group stage of the Champions League, setting the record at 11 goals.[60] They are the first two players to score 100 goals in UEFA Champions League history.[61]

They dominated the Ballon d'Or/The Best FIFA Men's Player awards since 2008, and UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award since 2014; however, in 2018 their roughly decade-long triumph was ended by Luka Modrić, seen as "end of an era".[62][63][64] However, Modrić stated in an interview for the France Football that "history will say that a Croatian player, representing his small country, won the Ballon d'Or after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are players at another level. Nobody has the right to compare themselves to them. They are the best in the history of this sport", and did not think it was the end for them.[65]

Player statistics

Club statistics
As of 27 June 2020
Lionel Messi
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
———————————————————————————————————
———————————————————————————————————
Barcelona
2004–057110100091
2005–06176216100258
2006–0726142251303617
2007–0828103096004016
2008–09312386129005138
2009–10353431118445347
2010–113331771312235553
2011–123750731114566073
2012–13324654118225060
2013–1431286578204641
2014–153843651310005758
2015–1633265576444941
2016–17343775911215254
2017–18363464106215445
2018–193436531012105051
2019–2027212262113626
Total 47944075531411142822723629
Cristiano Ronaldo
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sporting CP
2002–03253323000315
Manchester
United
2003–04294625000406
2004–05335948000509
2005–063396281004712
2006–07341783113005323
2007–08343133118104942
2008–09331863124215326
Real Madrid
2009–1029260067003533
2010–11344087126005453
2011–123846531010215560
2012–133434771212225555
2013–143031631117004751
2014–153548211210525461
2015–163635001216004851
2016–172925211312244642
2017–182726001315434444
Juventus
2018–1931212096114328
2019–2024234272103627
Total 568[lower-alpha 1]44277431751292014840[lower-alpha 2]628
Notes
  1. without the second division matches (Sporting CP B, 2002–03).
  2. without the second division matches (Sporting CP B, 2002–03).

International statistics
As of 31 December 2019
Lionel Messi[66]
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
—————————————————
—————————————————
Argentina 2005 302050
2006 314172
2007 10442146
2008 612182
2009 8122103
2010 5052102
2011 8252134
2012 5547912
2013 532376
2014 7474148
2015 612384
2016 10810118
2017 542074
2018 411354
2019 6144105
2020
Total 9136473413870
Cristiano Ronaldo[67]
National teamYearCompetitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Portugal 200300 2 0 2 0
2004117 5 0 16 7
200572 4 0 11 2
2006104 4 2 14 6
200795 1 0 10 5
200851 3 0 8 1
200950 2 1 7 1
201063 5 0 11 3
201165 2 2 8 7
201294 4 1 13 5
201367 3 3 9 10
201453 4 2 9 5
201543 1 0 5 3
20161010 3 3 13 13
20171010 1 1 11 11
201844 3 2 7 6
20191014 0 0 10 14
2020
Total 117 82 47 17 164 99

Hat-tricks
As of 22 February 2020
Lionel Messi
# For Against Result Competition Date
1 Barcelona Real Madrid3–3 (H)2005–06 La Liga10 March 2007
2 Atlético Madrid3–1 (A)2008–09 Copa del Rey6 January 2009
3 Tenerife5–0 (A)2009–10 La Liga10 January 2010
4 Valencia3–0 (H)2009–10 La Liga14 March 2010
5 Zaragoza4–2 (A)2009–10 La Liga21 March 2010
6 Arsenal 44–1 (H)2009–10 UEFA Champions League6 April 2010
7 Sevilla4–0 (H)2010 Supercopa de España21 August 2010
8 Almería8–0 (A)2010–11 La Liga20 November 2010
9 Real Betis5–0 (H)2010–11 Copa del Rey12 January 2011
10 Atlético Madrid3–0 (H)2010–11 La Liga5 February 2011
11 Osasuna8–0 (H)2011–12 La Liga17 September 2011
12 Atlético Madrid5–0 (H)2011–12 La Liga24 September 2011
13 Mallorca5–0 (H)2011–12 La Liga29 October 2011
14 Viktoria Plzeň4–0 (A)2011–12 UEFA Champions League1 November 2011
15 Málaga4–1 (A)2011–12 La Liga22 January 2012
16 Valencia 45–1 (H)2011–12 La Liga19 February 2012
17 Argentina Switzerland3–1 (A)Friendly29 February 2012
18 Barcelona Bayer Leverkusen 57–1 (H)2011–12 UEFA Champions League7 March 2012
19 Espanyol 44–0 (H)2011–12 La Liga20 March 2012
20 Granada5–3 (H)2011–12 La Liga2 May 2012
21 Málaga4–1 (H)2011–12 La Liga5 May 2012
22 Argentina Brazil4–3 (N)Friendly9 June 2012
23 Barcelona Deportivo La Coruña5–4 (A)2012–13 La Liga20 October 2012
24 Osasuna 45–1 (H)2012–13 La Liga27 January 2013
25 Argentina Guatemala4–0 (A)Friendly14 June 2013
26 Barcelona Valencia3–2 (A)2013–14 La Liga1 September 2013
27 Ajax4–0 (H)2013–14 UEFA Champions League18 September 2013
28 Osasuna7–0 (H)2013–14 La Liga16 March 2014
29 Real Madrid4–3 (A)2013–14 La Liga23 March 2014
30 Sevilla5–1 (H)2014–15 La Liga22 November 2014
31 APOEL4–0 (H)2014–15 UEFA Champions League25 November 2014
32 Espanyol5–1 (H)2014–15 La Liga7 December 2014
33 Deportivo La Coruña4–0 (A)2014–15 La Liga18 January 2015
34 Levante5–0 (H)2014–15 La Liga15 February 2015
35 Rayo Vallecano6–1 (H)2014–15 La Liga15 March 2015
36 Granada4–0 (H)2015–16 La Liga9 January 2016
37 Valencia7–0 (H)2015–16 Copa del Rey3 February 2016
38 Rayo Vallecano5–1 (A)2015–16 La Liga3 March 2016
39 Argentina Panama5–0 (N)Copa América Centenario10 June 2016
40 Barcelona Celtic7–0 (H)2016–17 UEFA Champions League13 September 2016
41 Manchester City4–0 (H)2016–17 UEFA Champions League19 October 2016
42 Espanyol5–0 (H)2017–18 La Liga9 September 2017
43 Eibar 46–1 (H)2017–18 La Liga19 September 2017
44 Argentina Ecuador3–1 (A)2018 FIFA World Cup qualification10 October 2017
45 Barcelona Leganés3–1 (H)2017–18 La Liga7 April 2018
46 Deportivo La Coruña4–2 (A)2017–18 La Liga29 April 2018
47 Argentina Haiti4–0 (H)Friendly29 May 2018
48 Barcelona PSV Eindhoven4–0 (H)2018–19 UEFA Champions League18 September 2018
49 Levante5–0 (A)2018–19 La Liga16 December 2018
50 Sevilla4–2 (A)2018–19 La Liga23 February 2019
51 Real Betis4–1 (A)2018–19 La Liga17 March 2019
52 Celta Vigo4–1 (H)2019–20 La Liga9 November 2019
53 Mallorca5–2 (H)2019–20 La Liga7 December 2019
54 Eibar 45–0 (H)2019–20 La Liga22 February 2020
Cristiano Ronaldo
# For Against Result Competition Date
1 Manchester United Newcastle United6–0 (H)2007–08 Premier League12 January 2008
2 Real Madrid Mallorca4–1 (A)2009–10 La Liga5 May 2010
3 Racing Santander46–1 (H)2010–11 La Liga23 October 2010
4 Athletic Bilbao5–1 (H)2010–11 La Liga20 November 2010
5 Levante8–0 (H)2010–11 Copa del Rey22 December 2010
6 Villarreal4–2 (H)2010–11 La Liga9 January 2011
7 Málaga7–0 (H)2010–11 La Liga3 March 2011
8 Sevilla 46–2 (A)2010–11 La Liga7 May 2011
9 Getafe4–0 (H)2010–11 La Liga10 May 2011
10 Zaragoza6–0 (A)2011–12 La Liga28 August 2011
11 Rayo Vallecano 46–2 (H)2011–12 La Liga24 September 2011
12 Málaga4–0 (A)2011–12 La Liga22 October 2011
13 Osasuna7–1 (H)2011–12 La Liga6 November 2011
14 Sevilla6–2 (A)2011–12 La Liga17 December 2011
15 Levante4–2 (H)2011–12 La Liga12 February 2012
16 Atlético Madrid4–1 (A)2011–12 La Liga11 April 2012
17 Deportivo La Coruña5–1 (H)2012–13 La Liga30 September 2012
18 Ajax4–1 (A)2012–13 UEFA Champions League3 October 2012
19 Celta Vigo4–0 (H)2012–13 Copa del Rey9 January 2013
20 Getafe4–0 (H)2012–13 La Liga27 January 2013
21 Sevilla4–1 (H)2012–13 La Liga9 February 2013
22 Portugal Northern Ireland4–2 (A)2014 FIFA World Cup qualification6 September 2013
23 Real Madrid Galatasaray6–1 (A)2013–14 UEFA Champions League17 September 2013
24 Sevilla7–3 (H)2013–14 La Liga30 October 2013
25 Real Sociedad5–1 (H)2013–14 La Liga9 November 2013
26 Portugal Sweden3–2 (A)2014 FIFA World Cup qualification19 November 2013
27 Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruña8–2 (A)2014–15 La Liga20 September 2014
28 Elche 45–1 (H)2014–15 La Liga23 September 2014
29 Athletic Bilbao5–0 (H)2014–15 La Liga5 October 2014
30 Celta Vigo3–0 (H)2014–15 La Liga6 December 2014
31 Granada 59–1 (H)2014–15 La Liga5 April 2015
32 Sevilla3–2 (A)2014–15 La Liga2 May 2015
33 Espanyol3–1 (A)2014–15 La Liga17 May 2015
34 Getafe7–3 (H)2014–15 La Liga23 May 2015
35 Portugal Armenia3–2 (A)UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying13 June 2015
36 Real Madrid Espanyol 56–0 (A)2015–16 La Liga12 September 2015
37 Shakhtar Donetsk4–0 (H)2015–16 UEFA Champions League15 September 2015
38 Malmö FF 48–0 (H)2015–16 UEFA Champions League8 December 2015
39 Espanyol6–0 (H)2015–16 La Liga31 January 2016
40 Celta Vigo 47–1 (H)2015–16 La Liga5 March 2016
41 VfL Wolfsburg3–0 (H)2015–16 UEFA Champions League12 April 2016
42 Portugal Andorra 46–0 (H)2018 FIFA World Cup qualification7 October 2016
43 Real Madrid Alavés4–1 (A)2016–17 La Liga29 October 2016
44 Atlético Madrid3–0 (A)2016–17 La Liga19 November 2016
45 Kashima Antlers4–2 (N)2016 FIFA Club World Cup18 December 2016
46 Bayern Munich4–2 (H)2016–17 UEFA Champions League18 April 2017
47 Atlético Madrid3–0 (H)2016–17 UEFA Champions League2 May 2017
48 Portugal Faroe Islands5–1 (H)2018 FIFA World Cup qualification31 August 2017
49 Real Madrid Real Sociedad5–2 (H)2017–18 La Liga10 February 2018
50 Girona 46–3 (H)2017–18 La Liga18 March 2018
51 Portugal Spain3–3 (N)2018 FIFA World Cup15 June 2018
52 Juventus Atlético Madrid3–0 (H)2018–19 UEFA Champions League12 March 2019
53 Portugal Switzerland3–1 (H)2019 UEFA Nations League Finals5 June 2019
54 Lithuania 45–1 (A)UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying10 September 2019
55 Lithuania6–0 (A)UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying14 November 2019
56 Juventus Cagliari4–0 (H)2019–20 Serie A6 January 2020

4 or 5 Player scored 4 or 5 goals

Head-to-head

In recent years, it has been said that the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has been "encapsulated" by the individual rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi,[68][69] with there never being a goalless El Clásico between the two.[70]

See also: List of El Clásico matches
Legend
Final
Semi-final
No.DateCompetitionHome teamAway teamScoreGoals scored by the duo
1 23 April 2008 Champions League Barcelona Manchester United 0–0
2 29 April 2008 Champions League Manchester United Barcelona 1–0
3 27 May 2009 Champions League Barcelona Manchester United 2–0 Messi ( 70')
4 29 November 2009 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–0
5 10 April 2010 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–2 Messi ( 33')
6 29 November 2010 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 5–0
7 9 February 2011 Friendly Argentina Portugal 2–1 Ronaldo ( 21'), Messi ( 90' (pen.))
8 16 April 2011 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 1–1 Messi ( 51' (pen.)), Ronaldo ( 81' (pen.))
9 20 April 2011 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–0 (a.e.t.) Ronaldo ( 103')
10 27 April 2011 Champions League Real Madrid Barcelona 0–2 Messi ( 76', 87')
11 3 May 2011 Champions League Barcelona Real Madrid 1–1
12 14 August 2011 Supercopa de España Real Madrid Barcelona 2–2 Messi ( 45')
13 17 August 2011 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 3–2 Ronaldo ( 20'), Messi ( 53', 88')
14 10 December 2011 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 1–3
15 18 January 2012 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–2 Ronaldo ( 11')
16 25 January 2012 Copa del Rey Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo ( 68')
17 21 April 2012 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–2 Ronaldo ( 73')
18 23 August 2012 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 3–2 Ronaldo ( 55'), Messi ( 70' (pen.))
19 29 August 2012 Supercopa de España Real Madrid Barcelona 2–1 Ronaldo ( 19'), Messi ( 45')
20 7 October 2012 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo ( 23', 66'), Messi ( 31', 61')
21 30 January 2013 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–1
22 26 February 2013 Copa del Rey Barcelona Real Madrid 1–3 Ronaldo ( 12', 57')
23 2 March 2013 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 2–1 Messi ( 18')
24 26 October 2013 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–1
25 23 March 2014 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 3–4 Messi ( 42', 65' (pen.), 84' (pen.)), Ronaldo ( 55' (pen.))
26 25 October 2014 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 3–1 Ronaldo ( 35' (pen.))
27 18 November 2014 Friendly Argentina Portugal 0–1
28 22 March 2015 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–1 Ronaldo ( 31')
29 21 November 2015 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–4
30 2 April 2016 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–2 Ronaldo ( 85')
31 3 December 2016 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–1
32 23 April 2017 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 2–3 Messi ( 33', 90+2')
33 13 August 2017 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 1–3 Messi ( 77' (pen.)), Ronaldo ( 80')
34 23 December 2017 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–3 Messi ( 64' (pen.))
35 6 May 2018 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo ( 14'), Messi ( 52')

Results
Competition Games played Messi wins Ronaldo wins Draws Messi goals Ronaldo goals
La Liga 181044129
Champions League 521230
Copa del Rey 512205
Supercopa de España 522164
Friendly 211011
Total matches35161092219

Last updated 6 May 2018

References
Notes
    Citations
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