Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have played in Brazil multiple times, both for their national teams and for their respective clubs. Messi scored four goals and assisted five times during the 2021 Copa América in Brazil. Ronaldo, who has played in Brazilian venues, has had fewer direct contributions than Messi. This article analyzes their performances in Brazilian stadiums using statistics and measures for tournaments and matches to determine goals scored, assists made and influence in major matches.
Brazil has hosted some of football's greatest artists and players, offering special venues and passionate crowds. It is a challenge for everyone to play in Brazil. Both Messi and Ronaldo have been to Brazil, both for international tournaments and for club games. This article analyzes the performances of the two players in terms of measurable metrics such as goals scored and assists made, as well as decisive contributions.
Messi's goals and assists in Brazil across all competitions
During the Copa América, Messi's performances in Brazil were the clearest. He scored 4 goals and had 5 assists over 7 matches played in Brazilian stadiums, as per the tournament statistics by Conmebol. He was a big part of the attack for Argentina as they won the tournament and defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final at Maracanã.
Outside the tournament, Messi's record for playing against Brazil in Brazil is more modest. He played 13 times against Brazil in Brazilian stadiums for previous tournaments and friendlies, and in those matches, he scored 5 goals, but had no assists, as per the historical matches statistics of FIFA and Conmebol.
These performances have also been covered in more online sources, such as Bemslots, a site focused on sports events in Brazil and also a casino. Although it is a betting site, it has kept historical records of important football tournaments, showing the extent of the documentation of Messi's performances in Brazil.
Ronaldo's scoring record in Brazilian stadiums
Ronaldo playing in stadiums in Brazil consists of international games with Portugal, as well as games with other clubs versus Brazilian teams. There has been little to no evidence of him having a great scoring record in either of these.
Over the last 20 years of Portugal's games vs Brazil, there is no record of him scoring in the games played in Brazil. Data from FIFA and UEFA show that in friendly or competitive games played in Brazil, he has scored and assisted very little, if at all.
Goals have been scored in appearances at the club level in Brazil, for example, during international friendly tournaments, but the number is far less than the amount achieved by Messi in the 2021 Copa America. This is further evidence that Ronaldo has very little, if any, measurable scoring output during his time in Brazil.
Messi's impact during Argentina’s Copa America campaigns in Brazil
The Copa America will be one of, if not the most, impactful tournaments Messi has played in Brazil. Messi ended the tournament with 4 goals, making him one of the top scorers and also ended the tournament with the most assists by having 5, according to Conmebol.
Messi also had a tremendous impact with many of his successful and influential actions that helped Argentina secure their title by beating Brazil in the finals.
Statistics in Brazil show that Messi’s performance in the tournament went beyond goals and assists. For example, his involvement in build-up play during attacks, which set him apart from other players in Brazilian venues, was key to creating multiple scoring opportunities for Argentina.
Ronaldo's performances for Portugal in visits to Brazil
Ronaldo also played for Brazil in Portugal’s various friendlies and competitions, but his performances in these games are somewhat underwhelming. His match reports and records show he did not score or assist in these games. The lack of basic impactful statistics suggests that his performances in Brazilian stadiums did not match the tournament performance Messi produced through his Brazilian performances.
Even in the more prominent games where he played, Ronaldo did not seem to have a notable impact on the results in the games against the Brazilian national team or in the other competitive games in Brazil. The lack of scoring is in contrast to the tapping of chances during the same duration of Messi’s high-scoring games.
Future Implications
Messi in particular stands to extend his record in Brazil with the probability that he will play in international matches or club tournaments in the near future. Ronaldo, on the other hand, is less likely to play in places in Brazil. But he would still be able to change how people view his performance in matches if he plays in the matches that he has in the future.
Based on the available data, Messi on Brazilian soil has the clear edge in total goals, assists, in addition to creating important plays. Due to the environment of Brazilian football, he easily demonstrated the ability to perform at a high level, and consequently, he has a high level of performance in comparison to Ronaldo.