Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Career Goals Compared

Highlights

• Ronaldo has scored more goals than Messi in their careers (877 vs 822), but the Argentine averages more goals per game (0.78 vs 0.73).
• Messi has tallied more hat-tricks (63 vs 57) and free-kick goals (65 vs 61) than Ronaldo.
• Ronaldo excels in headers (147 vs 26), and has scored more goals with his weaker foot (167 vs 105) than his eternal rival.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguably the two best players to ever set foot on a football pitch. Both men have been incredible goalscorers across their two-decade-long careers and have found a number of different solutions to get the ball into the back of the net.

This is the hardest skill in the beautiful game, but the masterful pair have made it look easy over the years, scoring goals for fun at times. Whether it be a set-piece goal, a bullet header, or a well-placed strike on their weak foot, Messi and Ronaldo have the capability to hurt opposing teams from almost any situation.

That said, GIVEMESPORT have decided to compare the different types of goals the Inter Miami and Al-Nassr superstars have scored, and how regularly they have done so. This has been done with the help of the Messi vs Ronaldo app.

Goals

Ronaldo – 877, Messi 822

Ronaldo is the top goalscorer of all time, meaning Messi was always going to come out second best in this metric. The little magician does, however, come extremely close to the Portugal star’s tally when considering he is over two years younger.

Nonetheless, Ronaldo should be given his flowers as he will undoubtedly end up with over 900 goals to his name for club and country when the 39-year-old eventually decides to hang up his boots. Scoring for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Portugal, Ronaldo has done it in every team he has ever represented. He is the definition of an elite marksman.

Goals per game

Ronaldo – 0.73, Messi – 0.78

It’s interesting to see that despite having fewer career goals altogether, Messi is actually the more consistent goalscorer. The Inter Miami ace averages 0.78 goals per game, which is marginally better than Ronaldo’s.

This becomes all the more impressive when factoring in the positions both men have played in their legendary careers. While Ronaldo was a tricky winger in his younger days, CR7 has been utilised as a centre-forward for the past decade. Messi, on the other hand, has never been the same out-and-out striker figure. Dropping deep to control the game, the closest he has got is during his false nine days at Barcelona.

Minutes per goal

Ronaldo – 112, Messi – 105

As can almost be deduced from the goal per game ratio, Ronaldo has a higher minute per goal rate than his counterpart. As is the case with many of these metrics, there really isn’t a lot in it at all. Messi averages seven fewer minutes per goal across his career.

Having made over 150 less senior appearances and scored 55 fewer goals than Ronaldo, it was always likely Messi would come out on top here. The Argentine is often seen as more of a creator than the man to apply the finishing touch, but these first three stats prove otherwise. Both men have been lethal when presented with goalscoring opportunities.

Hat-tricks

Ronaldo – 63, Messi – 57

Messi clearly spreads his goals out over more games as his Portuguese peer has netted a treble six more times than him. Ronaldo is a player that shows no mercy towards the opposition and will do anything he can to put the ball in the net as many times as possible in every game.

His haul of 63 career hat-tricks is the most of any player in the 21st century. Both men are well ahead of the competition when it comes to scoring three goals in a single game, being the only two men to have over 50 hat-tricks since 2000.

Penalties

Ronaldo – 162, Messi – 108

It’s understandable that clubs would entrust their best players with the penalty responsibility. Ronaldo has been the go-to man for spot kicks for the majority of his career, while Messi has had spells of sharing the role with teammates, at club level in particular.

Ronaldo’s 162 penalty goals have come from 191 attempts, while Messi’s record stands at 108 from 139. This shows both players have missed a similar number of opportunities from six yards out during their long and storied careers in the game, although the Al-Nassr superstar is the more reliable player in these instances. To have missed 29 from almost 200 is still an impressive record for the 39-year-old.

Free-kick goals

Ronaldo – 61, Messi – 65

Barcelona icon Messi takes the honour of being the more deadly man in free-kick situations. He may have been beaten by Ronaldo from six yards out, but the Argentinian can’t be denied from further than 18 yards away from goal.

Only four men in the history of the beautiful game have found the net from long range set pieces more times than Messi, including Brazilian legend Pele. Goalkeepers live in fear whenever they see either Ronaldo or Messi line up a free-kick, even to this day. This is evident from Messi’s brilliant free-kick goal in the dying moments of his Inter Miami debut after securing a move to the MLS outfit in 2023.

Outside the box

Ronaldo – 76, Messi – 92

As free-kicks have just been covered, these goals aren’t included in each man’s outside of the box goal tallies. The nature of their individual games plays into Messi’s triumph in this category as the superb Argentina international has spent a lot more time getting involved in play outside the 18 yard box.

The way he strikes a ball is beautiful to watch, and his 92 strikes from distance prove they are just as effective. For Ronaldo to have netted 76 times from long range is still an incredible achievement when factoring in his role as a number nine that operates inside the box for the majority of his years.

Inside the box

Ronaldo – 587, Messi – 557

Over 500 goals inside the box for the wonderful duo. Ronaldo is closing in on 600 career goals from less than 18 yards out, showing his prowess from close range. The Portuguese sensation is a natural poacher who sniffs out opportunities that no one else could.

His finishing ability is up there with the greatest to ever do it, with a variety of different finishes in his locker – which will be expanded on in a moment – and this makes it a nightmare for defenders trying to keep Ronaldo out. Give the striker a yard of space in the box, and expect to be punished by the lethal forward.

Ronaldo – 561, Messi – 688

Looking at the goals scored by each man’s strong foot tells an interesting story. Messi has 688 goals with his better foot, which is obviously his wand of a left foot. Ronaldo, has over 100 fewer goals via his deadly right foot, but does this tell the whole story?

While the Al-Nassr ace may look to be less clinical on his stronger foot in comparison to his foe, it may actually just mean he has a bigger variety of finishes in his locker. Messi’s left foot is undeniably the greatest foot ever seen in the history of the sport and should be protected at all costs, but how does his right foot fare?

Ronaldo – 167, Messi – 105

Neither man have one foot designated for standing on clearly as they have both scored over 100 times with their respective weaker feet. Ronaldo does appear to be better on his left foot than Messi is on his right. It means the Portuguese icon is likely to score even if forced onto his worse side.

Defenders almost can’t win against these two as they are brilliant on either foot. Even the greats favor their strong feet and neither Messi nor Ronaldo can claim to be the most two-footed players of all time, but they are incredibly talented in this regard nonetheless.

Ronaldo – 147, Messi – 26

It’s no real surprise that Ronaldo has scored more headed goals due to the sheer size difference. The former Real Madrid attacker is 6’2″ while his long-term rival stands at 5’7″. It would be more likely to find Messi delivering the cross rather than being the one to be getting his head on the end of it himself.

The 36-year-old did score a memorable header to seal a 2-0 Champions League final win against Ronaldo’s Manchester United in 2009, however. The most iconic header scored by either man was Ronaldo’s effort against Sampdoria while representing Juventus. His giant leap was reported to reach a height of 2.56 metres. Remarkable.

Other

Ronaldo – 2, Messi – 3

There are other body parts that can legally be used to put the ball in the net, and it is assumed that’s what is meant by ‘other’ goals. Whether it be a chest, a knee, or a hip, Messi comes out on top in this final category by three goals to Ronaldo’s two.

These incidents are clearly not very common as two of the most lethal players in the history of the beautiful game have only scored five ‘other’ goals between them in well over 2,000 combined matches. If they can’t get the job done with their strong foot, weak foot, or head, it’s likely the two genius footballers will find another avenue to scoring a goal.

All statistics in this article are courtesy of the Messi vs Ronaldo App.