The debate over who is the best player in football history between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo seems to never end. With outstanding achievements at both club and international level, both have not only shaped the sport but also continuously broken scoring records. One of the most frequently mentioned factors is Messi goal per game ratio vs Ronaldo, an important figure that reflects their performance and consistency over each season. Below, Bestsoccertips shares an overview of the two legends’ goals, providing a clearer picture of this top race.
The confrontation between Messi and Ronaldo
The debate over who is the goals per game ratio Messi vs Ronaldo is not just a subjective opinion but also based on convincing statistics. As of the most recent match, Lionel Messi has played 1,072 professional matches, scored 840 goals and had 361 assists, meaning he has directly contributed to 1,201 goals. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is known as the goal machine, has played 1,239 matches, scored 903 goals and had 222 assists, a total of 1,125 goals with his participation.
While Ronaldo leads in absolute terms as the player with the most goals in history, Messi has the advantage in terms of average. The Argentine superstar has scored 0.79 goals and 0.34 assists per game, compared to Ronaldo’s 0.73 goals and 0.18 assists. This difference adds to the intrigue of the debate, especially when the numbers include goals from the penalty spot. With these impressive statistics, the race between Messi and Ronaldo is not just a comparison of trophies, but also a testament to the resilience and exceptional talent of two living legends.
Club Goals: Messi vs Ronaldo
When only considering club matches, the gap between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo becomes more noticeable but also statistically narrower. Lionel Messi, in 881 matches for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, has scored 731 goals and made 316 assists, contributing to a total of 1,047 goals. This performance shows his comprehensiveness in both scoring and assisting.
Cristiano Ronaldo, in 990 matches for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, has scored 769 goals and made 202 assists, contributing to a total of 970 goals. Despite having more matches, Ronaldo has been involved in more than 70 fewer goals than Messi in his club career.
These numbers further highlight Messi’s incredible performance, as he has a higher goal involvement rate despite playing fewer games than Ronaldo, further complicating the never-ending debate about who is the greatest player of all time.
Messi goal per game ratio vs Ronaldo
Messi and Ronaldo goals during his time at Real Madrid
Between 2009 and 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo showed incredible scoring form at Real Madrid. Playing a total of 438 matches in all competitions, the Portuguese superstar scored 450 goals, achieving an impressive average of 1.03 goals per match.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was not far behind when he played for Barcelona. During the same period, he scored 472 goals in 476 matches, achieving an average of 0.99 goals per match. Although Messi scored 22 more goals than Ronaldo, he played 38 more matches than his opponent. Therefore, in terms of average scoring performance during this period, Cristiano Ronaldo was slightly better than his Argentine counterpart.
Messi and Ronaldo score for Inter Miami and Al-Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two great icons of modern football, have both had remarkable journeys after leaving the clubs they have been with for a long time. Ronaldo became a legend at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in 438 games. However, at the end of the 2017-18 season, he decided to leave to join Juventus, where he scored 101 goals in 133 games. He then returned to Manchester United, where in his second spell he scored 27 goals in 54 games, adding to his 119 goals in 292 games in his first. Ronaldo is currently playing for Al-Nassr, where he has scored 69 goals in 76 games.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi also left Barcelona in the summer of 2021, a surprising and emotional farewell due to the club’s difficult financial situation. Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain and scored 32 goals in 75 games in two seasons there. In the 2023-24 season, he began a new chapter in his career at Inter Miami in the MLS, where he scored 27 goals in 32 games.
The journey of both superstars has not only shown their perseverance but also demonstrated their influence far beyond the borders of Europe, further affirming their legendary status in the football world.
Messi and Ronaldo score for their national teams
At the international level, Cristiano Ronaldo currently has a statistical advantage over Lionel Messi, although the gap between the two superstars is not too large. Ronaldo, with 214 appearances for Portugal, has scored 133 goals, at a rate of 0.62 goals per game. This also means he has 30 more matches and 24 more goals than Messi at international level.
As for Lionel Messi, the captain of the Argentina national team has played 186 times and scored 109 goals, at an average rate of 0.58 goals per game. However, Messi makes up for this gap with his superior ability to create, with a total of 45 assists (an average of 0.24 per game), compared to Ronaldo’s 20 assists (0.09 per game).
Although Ronaldo scores more goals, Messi’s versatility in the creative role helps him maintain a level playing field with his Portuguese counterpart in the top race between two world football legends.
Conclusion
Whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, both are great icons of world football. However, when considering Messi goal per game ratio vs Ronaldo, Messi is often better thanks to his stability and top-notch technique. Meanwhile, Ronaldo conquers fans with his strength, fighting spirit and ability to score in all situations. This comparison not only helps fans understand the two legends better but also affirms that they are the best players that football has ever produced. Thank you for following our article!
See more: Top 10 players with best goal per game ratio in the 21st century
