Messi vs Ronaldo Defensive Stats

Messi and Ronaldo Defensive Stats

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo aren't exactly known for their defending, and the stats prove this perception to be an accurate one. On this page you can find detailed stats for the following actions:

Tackles

Season / CompMessi TacklesMessi Tackles p90Ronaldo TacklesRonaldo Tackles p90
22/23 League260.8220.35
22/23 UCL40.590NaN
22/23 League + UCL300.7820.35
21/22 League100.4290.33
21/22 UCL30.4330.44
21/22 League + UCL130.42120.35
20/21 League180.5460.19
20/21 UCL50.8300.00
20/21 League + UCL230.5860.16
19/20 League210.66140.43
19/20 UCL20.2710.13
19/20 League + UCL230.58150.37
18/19 League120.40100.33
18/19 UCL101.0830.36
18/19 League + UCL220.56130.34
17/18 League170.5170.28
17/18 UCL91.0350.38
17/18 League + UCL260.62120.31
16/17 League230.7360.21
16/17 UCL101.1130.22
16/17 League + UCL330.8290.22
15/16 League110.36110.31
15/16 UCL50.7130.24
15/16 League + UCL160.43140.29
14/15 League270.7290.26
14/15 UCL141.1020.17
14/15 League + UCL410.82110.24
13/14 League140.50180.64
13/14 UCL30.4350.45
13/14 League + UCL170.49230.59
12/13 League200.69140.46
12/13 UCL20.2250.42
12/13 League + UCL220.57190.45
11/12 League230.63190.51
11/12 UCL70.6480.77
11/12 League + UCL300.63270.57
10/11 League230.72170.53
10/11 UCL90.7750.44
10/11 League + UCL320.74220.50
09/10 League310.98130.47
09/10 UCL60.5530.60
09/10 League + UCL370.87160.49
Totals3650.652010.38

Messi edges the tackling stats, making 0.65 tackles per 90 minutes, compared to Ronaldo's 0.38.

Interceptions

Season / CompMessi InterceptionsMessi Interceptions p90Ronaldo InterceptionsRonaldo Interceptions p90
22/23 League20.0610.17
22/23 UCL30.440NaN
22/23 League + UCL50.1310.17
21/22 League40.1720.07
21/22 UCL00.0000.00
21/22 League + UCL40.1320.06
20/21 League60.1850.16
20/21 UCL20.3320.32
20/21 League + UCL80.2070.19
19/20 League70.2260.19
19/20 UCL20.2740.51
19/20 League + UCL90.23100.25
18/19 League30.1060.20
18/19 UCL30.3230.36
18/19 League + UCL60.1590.24
17/18 League70.2160.24
17/18 UCL30.3430.23
17/18 League + UCL100.2490.23
16/17 League70.2280.28
16/17 UCL00.0040.30
16/17 League + UCL70.17120.29
15/16 League60.2080.23
15/16 UCL10.1430.24
15/16 League + UCL70.19110.23
14/15 League70.1900.00
14/15 UCL70.5520.17
14/15 League + UCL140.2820.04
13/14 League20.0740.14
13/14 UCL40.5710.09
13/14 League + UCL60.1750.13
12/13 League90.31100.33
12/13 UCL60.6660.50
12/13 League + UCL150.39160.38
11/12 League230.63190.51
11/12 UCL30.2770.68
11/12 League + UCL260.55260.55
10/11 League210.66240.74
10/11 UCL90.7780.71
10/11 League + UCL300.69320.73
09/10 League411.30130.47
09/10 UCL100.9140.80
09/10 League + UCL511.20170.52
Totals1980.351590.30

Messi again has the edge in interceptions but only by a tiny margin, making 0.38 interceptions per 90 minutes, compared to Ronaldo's 0.31.

Clearances

Season / CompMessi ClearancesMessi Clearances p90Ronaldo ClearancesRonaldo Clearances p90
22/23 League00.0081.38
22/23 UCL00.000NaN
22/23 League + UCL00.0081.38
21/22 League00.00291.06
21/22 UCL00.0071.03
21/22 League + UCL00.00361.05
20/21 League00.00150.48
20/21 UCL00.0050.79
20/21 League + UCL00.00200.53
19/20 League10.03210.65
19/20 UCL00.0040.51
19/20 League + UCL10.03250.62
18/19 League00.00301.00
18/19 UCL00.0060.72
18/19 League + UCL00.00360.94
17/18 League00.00140.55
17/18 UCL00.00100.77
17/18 League + UCL00.00240.62
16/17 League10.03150.53
16/17 UCL00.0050.38
16/17 League + UCL10.02200.48
15/16 League00.00150.42
15/16 UCL00.0060.49
15/16 League + UCL00.00210.44
14/15 League10.03270.78
14/15 UCL00.00110.93
14/15 League + UCL10.02380.82
13/14 League00.00140.50
13/14 UCL00.0080.73
13/14 League + UCL00.00220.56
12/13 League10.03230.76
12/13 UCL00.0080.67
12/13 League + UCL10.03310.73
11/12 League20.06250.67
11/12 UCL00.0020.19
11/12 League + UCL20.04270.57
10/11 League00.00240.74
10/11 UCL00.0070.62
10/11 League + UCL00.00310.71
09/10 League00.0040.15
09/10 UCL00.0040.80
09/10 League + UCL00.0080.25
Totals60.013470.65

Cristiano Ronaldo completely dominates the clearances stats, with his aerial abilities making him a useful tool in defending set pieces. Ronaldo averages 0.61 clearances per 90 minutes, whereas Messi makes around 0.5 clearances per season.

Shots Blocked

Season / CompMessi Shots BlockedMessi Shots Blocked p90Ronaldo Shots BlockedRonaldo Shots Blocked p90
22/23 League00.0000.00
22/23 UCL00.000NaN
22/23 League + UCL00.0000.00
21/22 League00.0000.00
21/22 UCL00.0000.00
21/22 League + UCL00.0000.00
20/21 League00.0030.10
20/21 UCL00.0010.16
20/21 League + UCL00.0040.11
19/20 League00.0030.09
19/20 UCL00.0000.00
19/20 League + UCL00.0030.07
18/19 League00.0020.07
18/19 UCL00.0010.12
18/19 League + UCL00.0030.08
17/18 League10.0330.12
17/18 UCL00.0030.23
17/18 League + UCL10.0260.16
16/17 League10.0330.11
16/17 UCL00.0020.15
16/17 League + UCL10.0250.12
15/16 League00.0030.08
15/16 UCL00.0000.00
15/16 League + UCL00.0030.06
14/15 League10.0330.09
14/15 UCL00.0000.00
14/15 League + UCL10.0230.06
13/14 League00.0010.04
13/14 UCL00.0020.18
13/14 League + UCL00.0030.08
12/13 League10.0310.03
12/13 UCL00.0000.00
12/13 League + UCL10.0310.02
11/12 League10.0330.08
11/12 UCL00.0010.10
11/12 League + UCL10.0240.08
10/11 League10.0300.00
10/11 UCL20.1720.18
10/11 League + UCL30.0720.05
09/10 League00.0000.00
09/10 UCL00.0000.00
09/10 League + UCL00.0000.00
Totals80.01370.07

The numbers are extremely low for both players, but there is a clear margin in favour of Ronaldo. He blocks a shot around 3 times a season, compared to Messi who blocks a shot less than once per season on average.

Passes Blocked

Season / CompMessi Passes BlockedMessi Passes Blocked p90Ronaldo Passes BlockedRonaldo Passes Blocked p90
22/23 League110.3500.00
22/23 UCL30.440NaN
22/23 League + UCL140.3700.00
21/22 League50.2180.29
21/22 UCL40.5760.88
21/22 League + UCL90.29140.41
20/21 League120.3680.26
20/21 UCL20.3300.00
20/21 League + UCL140.3580.21
19/20 League90.2870.22
19/20 UCL30.4110.13
19/20 League + UCL120.3080.20
18/19 League100.3350.17
18/19 UCL60.6510.12
18/19 League + UCL160.4160.16
17/18 League100.3070.28
17/18 UCL40.4650.38
17/18 League + UCL140.33120.31
16/17 League70.2270.25
16/17 UCL20.2240.30
16/17 League + UCL90.22110.26
15/16 League40.1350.14
15/16 UCL30.4310.08
15/16 League + UCL70.1960.13
14/15 League250.67120.35
14/15 UCL110.8650.42
14/15 League + UCL360.72170.37
13/14 League80.2970.25
13/14 UCL00.0040.36
13/14 League + UCL80.23110.28
Totals1390.25930.17

In terms of passes blocked, Messi comes out on top, blocking 0.36 passes per 90 minutes compared to Ronaldo's 0.24.

Crosses Blocked

Season / CompMessi Crosses BlockedMessi Crosses Blocked p90Ronaldo Crosses BlockedRonaldo Crosses Blocked p90
22/23 League00.0010.17
22/23 UCL00.000NaN
22/23 League + UCL00.0010.17
21/22 League00.0000.00
21/22 UCL00.0000.00
21/22 League + UCL00.0000.00
20/21 League00.0000.00
20/21 UCL00.0000.00
20/21 League + UCL00.0000.00
19/20 League00.0000.00
19/20 UCL00.0000.00
19/20 League + UCL00.0000.00
18/19 League10.0320.07
18/19 UCL00.0000.00
18/19 League + UCL10.0320.05
17/18 League00.0000.00
17/18 UCL00.0000.00
17/18 League + UCL00.0000.00
16/17 League00.0010.04
16/17 UCL00.0010.07
16/17 League + UCL00.0020.05
15/16 League00.0000.00
15/16 UCL00.0010.08
15/16 League + UCL00.0010.02
14/15 League00.0020.06
14/15 UCL00.0000.00
14/15 League + UCL00.0020.04
13/14 League00.0010.04
13/14 UCL00.0010.09
13/14 League + UCL00.0020.05
12/13 League00.0000.00
12/13 UCL00.0000.00
12/13 League + UCL00.0000.00
11/12 League00.0010.03
11/12 UCL00.0000.00
11/12 League + UCL00.0010.02
10/11 League00.0020.06
10/11 UCL00.0000.00
10/11 League + UCL00.0020.05
09/10 League00.0000.00
09/10 UCL00.0000.00
09/10 League + UCL00.0000.00
Totals10.00130.02

Again, the numbers are extremely low here, with Ronaldo blocking 11 crosses in 12 seasons, whilst Messi has just 1 blocked cross to his name.

Pressing

Season / CompMessi PressuresMessi Pressures p90Ronaldo PressuresRonaldo Pressures p90
21/22 League2209.211826.66
20/21 League2918.672257.22
19/20 League2878.972487.65
18/19 League32410.762819.40
17/18 League41312.402258.85
Totals153510.0411617.94

In terms of pressing, it's Messi who comes out on top, making over 10 pressures per 90 minutes in the league since 2017/18, whereas Ronaldo has made around 8 pressures per 90 in this timeframe.

Pressing stats are via StatsBomb. All other stats are Opta.

Updated Mar 15, 9:09 PM UTC