In the history of the World Cup, the question who has more World cup goals Messi or Ronaldo?” has always been a controversial topic among football fans. Both superstars have had impressive performances at the World Cup, but the number of goals they have scored has made a clear difference. With the illustrious careers of both Messi and Ronaldo, comparing their achievements at the biggest arena on the planet is even more interesting and dramatic. Join Bestsoccertips.com to learn more about these two players through the article below!
Who has more World Cup goals Messi or Ronaldo?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two brightest stars of world football, have conquered almost every major and minor title but still lack a World Cup trophy in their illustrious careers. Despite having won enough titles to fill two museums, both Messi and Ronaldo have yet to touch the ultimate glory of football.
The question “who has more World Cup goals Ronaldo or Messi?” has become one of the most searched topics on Google. Messi with a record seven Ballon d’Or and Ronaldo with five similar titles have both proven their superior class. However, neither has ever lifted the World Cup trophy – the title that every player desires.
With the current ages of Ronaldo (37 years old) and Messi (35 years old) in 2024, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is considered the last chance for both to make their mark at the biggest tournament on the planet. This is Messi’s fifth World Cup appearance, where he has scored 10 goals in 24 matches. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is also participating in his fifth World Cup, with a record of 8 goals in 21 matches. Notably, CR7 made history by becoming the first male player to score in five World Cups, after scoring in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana on November 24, 2022.
Can Leo Messi win the World Cup?
Lionel Messi lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy would be a legendary moment in the Argentine superstar’s career, completing his trophy cabinet and making history in world football. Given the current form of Messi and Argentina, it is entirely possible, especially after the impressive performance of the Tango team at the 2022 World Cup.
Messi, currently Argentina’s most capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, is playing in his fifth consecutive World Cup final. He began his World Cup journey as Argentina’s youngest ever scorer at the 2006 World Cup. Despite Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Germany in the 2014 final, Messi has remained a key figure in the team’s journey. After a disappointing 2018 World Cup, la albiceleste have regained hope and determination under coach Lionel Scaloni, who replaced Jorge Sampaoli and led Argentina back to success.
In addition to their success at the national level, Messi and his teammate Angel Di Maria – an Olympic champion – won the 2021 Copa America, marking Messi’s fifth Copa title. In particular, they also won the 2022 Finalissima, another important international title in Messi’s career, affirming his influence on the international stage.
Leo Messi’s last World Cup: “Anxiety and stress”
Messi showed excellent form at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when he led Argentina to the final, but his team lost 0-1 to Germany in extra time. Despite winning the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament, Messi has yet to win the World Cup. Eight years later, at the age of 35 and playing for PSG, Messi is captaining Argentina again. In an interview, he shared that this will be his last time participating in the major tournament: “There is a little bit of anxiety and excitement… it’s the last match.”
Although Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986 under the guidance of Diego Maradona, Messi still faces the shadow of his predecessor. Although Messi has surpassed Maradona in his club career, winning the World Cup will end all debate. Messi views Argentina’s chances in Qatar cautiously: “I don’t know if we are the favorites, but I believe Argentina are the favorites because of their history.” Messi scored several key goals in the tournament, including goals in wins over Mexico, Poland, Australia, and the Netherlands that helped Argentina advance to the tournament.
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Messi career statistics
After winning the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship at the age of 17, Messi went on to make history by winning an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and forging an illustrious career at Barcelona, where he won ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues, and three FIFA World Club Cups. In his first season in 2021, Messi continued to make his mark by helping PSG win Ligue 1 in France.
How many goals has Leo Messi scored?
As of October 20, 2024, Lionel Messi has scored a total of more than 850 goals in his professional career, including both club and national team levels.
Of which, at the club level, Messi has scored 672 goals for FC Barcelona, 22 goals for Paris Saint-Germain and 21 goals for Inter Miami.
At the national team level, Messi has scored 112 goals in 191 appearances for the Argentina national team, becoming the player with the most goals for the Argentina national team.
Can Cristiano Ronaldo win the World Cup?
Of course, it is impossible to mention Messi without mentioning Ronaldo. Every generation of football fans has a player who symbolizes their era: Pele, Maradona, Johan Cruyff, George Best, Lothar Matthaus, Romario, Ronaldinho…
World football has witnessed many outstanding talents in the past, but no one has maintained a long career and raised each other to the same level as Ronaldo and Messi.
CR7 is now aiming to end his glorious career with a World Cup, thereby consolidating the title of the greatest player of all time.
Ronaldo contributed significantly to the greatest moment in the history of Portuguese football: the victory at Euro 2016, the first major international title for the Portuguese team. Now CR7 is hungry to win the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo Career Statistics
Cristiano Ronaldo, born on February 5, 1985 in Madeira, Portugal, is one of the greatest players in football history. He began his career at Sporting CP before moving to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and now Al Nassr. Ronaldo has won 5 Ballon d’Or, 4 UEFA Champions Leagues, and numerous domestic titles. For Portugal, he has scored over 125 goals and won the Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.
Ronaldo is the all-time leading goalscorer in international football, with over 850 career goals. He is known for his excellent scoring ability, outstanding physicality and all-round playing style.
How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?
As of January 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored over 850 goals in his career for club and country. Of these, he scored 450 goals for Real Madrid, 118 for Manchester United (including his debut and return), 81 for Juventus, and 5 for Sporting CP. These achievements have helped Ronaldo become one of the top scorers in football history.
In addition, Ronaldo is also the player with the most goals in international football history, with 125 goals for the Portuguese team, surpassing Ali Daei’s record. This achievement not only solidified Ronaldo’s reputation but also affirmed him as one of the best strikers of all time.
To Wrap It Up
Ending their successful careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both left a deep mark in football history with impressive records. Regarding the question “Who has more World Cup goals Messi or Ronaldo?”, currently, Messi has scored more goals than Ronaldo at the World Cup, with 13 goals compared to Ronaldo’s 8 goals. However, both have left an unforgettable mark in major tournaments, affirming their position as living legends of the king sport.
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