Over the past two decades, the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been one of the hottest topics in world football. Not only are they shining stars, they are also symbols of greatness in the king of sports. Together, Messi and Ronaldo have created a fierce competition, not only in domestic matches but also in international tournaments and club level. With more than 1,700 goals and 80 collective titles, they have redefined the standards of excellence in football. However, among all the matches in which they have faced each other directly, the big question remains: Who has more wins against each other Messi or Ronaldo? Let’s find out with Bestsoccertips.com through the article below!
Overview of Messi vs Ronaldo Encounters
The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo has spanned many years and many different tournaments. Although both players have had great careers, their direct confrontations are really rare. To date, they have met a total of 37 times. Their first match was in the 2007/08 season, in the Champions League, when Messi’s Barcelona faced Ronaldo’s Manchester United. Their last match was an international friendly in April 2023, when Messi’s PSG faced the Riyadh Season Team, where Ronaldo played.
It is noteworthy that most of the matches between Messi and Ronaldo have taken place in El Clásico – the famous confrontation between Barcelona and Real Madrid. This is where the battle between these two players becomes the center of attention, attracting the attention of millions of fans around the world. Of those 37 matches, 30 were El Clásico, where Messi and Ronaldo represented Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two biggest clubs in Spain. The rest were international friendlies with their national teams, Argentina and Portugal.
Who has more wins against each other Messi or Ronaldo?
Head to head record between Messi and Ronaldo, although there are many factors that affect the results of these matches, such as the squad, the coach’s tactics and the performance of his teammates, the numbers on the head-to-head record between Messi and Ronaldo are still worth analyzing.
In a total of 37 meetings, the head-to-head record between Messi and Ronaldo shows a clear distinction:
- Messi wins: 17
- Ronaldo wins: 11
- Draws: 9
So, who has more wins Messi or Ronaldo? Messi is the one who has won more with 17 victories, while Ronaldo has only surpassed his opponent 11 times. However, this does not mean that Ronaldo does not have memorable moments in the matches against Messi.
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Who win Messi or Ronaldo? Details of important confrontations
El Clasico
El Clásico is where Messi and Ronaldo have had fierce confrontations. In a total of 30 meetings in the framework of El Clásico, Messi has won 14 times, while Ronaldo has only won 8 times. It can be seen that, in these confrontations, Messi has created a significant superiority. Although Ronaldo is one of the best players in the history of Real Madrid, facing Messi is always an extremely big challenge.
Champions League
Although both players have had many impressive achievements in the Champions League, the confrontations between Barcelona and Manchester United have shown the balance between them. In 4 meetings in this arena, each player has 2 wins and 2 draws. However, it is impossible not to mention the memorable confrontations in the Champions League final, where each has had important victories in their careers.
Final
In terms of finals, Cristiano Ronaldo has the advantage over Messi. Ronaldo won 3 finals, including the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Supercopa finals. Meanwhile, Messi only won 2 important finals. This shows that Ronaldo has the ability to perform better in decisive matches, where the pressure is always at its highest.
Goals and Assists
An important factor in the confrontations between Messi and Ronaldo is the number of goals they have scored. In a total of 37 matches, both players have scored the same number of goals: 23 goals each. This shows that they both have the ability to shine in important matches.
However, Messi is superior to Ronaldo in terms of assisting ability. Messi has 12 assists to Ronaldo’s one. This reflects the difference in the two players’ playing styles: Messi often creates chances for his teammates, while Ronaldo focuses mainly on scoring goals.
International Friends
In addition to their club matches, Messi and Ronaldo have also met in international friendlies between Argentina and Portugal. In these two friendlies, each team won one. This shows that although Messi and Ronaldo can both have a big impact in international matches, the results are still quite balanced.
The rivalry goes beyond the numbers
Although the head to head record between Messi and Ronaldo has been analyzed in detail through numbers, the rivalry between them is not simply about wins, draws or losses. This rivalry is also a story about greatness, about their influence on football.
Messi and Ronaldo have been and are icons in world football. Their matches are always filled with drama, beautiful moves and unforgettable moments. Despite the statistics on the number of victories, in the eyes of fans, both are incomparable and irreplaceable legends.
Regardless of the outcome of the rivalry, the careers of both Messi and Ronaldo deserve to be honored. They have contributed immeasurably to the development of football and have created a rivalry unlike any other in the history of this sport.
In Summary
Overall, Lionel Messi has won more direct confrontations with Cristiano Ronaldo, with 17 wins compared to Ronaldo’s 11. However, it cannot be denied that Ronaldo has also had important victories, especially in finals and decisive matches. So who has more wins against each other Messi or Ronaldo? each player has his own strengths, and their rivalry has raised world football to a new level. Certainly, regardless of who has more wins, both Messi and Ronaldo have been and are legends that world football will always remember.
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