Messi Stats All Time Internationals All Time Argentina
86 Goals
49 Assists
162 Apps
155 mins per goal
99 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats All Time Internationals All Time Portugal
117 Goals
32 Assists
189 Apps
129 mins per goal
101 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app All Time Internationals All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 86 Goals
Ronaldo 117 Goals
Assists
Messi 49 Assists
Ronaldo 32 Assists
Appearances
Messi 162 Appearances
Ronaldo 189 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 13,372 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 15,039 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.53 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.62 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 155.5 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 128.5 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 99.1 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 100.9 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 8 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 10 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 19/23 Penalties
Ronaldo 16/23 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 8 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 10 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 10 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 11 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 49 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 80 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 77 Left Foot
Ronaldo 26 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 7 Right Foot
Ronaldo 63 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 2 Headers
Ronaldo 28 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 82.6% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 69.6% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
Competitive Internationals
Messi Stats Competitive Internationals All Time Argentina
47 Goals
34 Assists
114 Apps
205 mins per goal
119 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats Competitive Internationals All Time Portugal
97 Goals
23 Assists
137 Apps
121 mins per goal
98 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app Competitive Internationals All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 47 Goals
Ronaldo 97 Goals
Assists
Messi 34 Assists
Ronaldo 23 Assists
Appearances
Messi 114 Appearances
Ronaldo 137 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 9,655 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 11,751 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.41 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.71 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 205.4 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 121.1 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 119.2 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 97.9 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 3 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 10 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 10/11 Penalties
Ronaldo 15/19 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 8 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 9 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 7 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 10 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 22 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 63 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 41 Left Foot
Ronaldo 21 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 5 Right Foot
Ronaldo 54 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 1 Headers
Ronaldo 22 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 90.9% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 78.9% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
International Friendlies
Messi Stats International Friendlies All Time Argentina
39 Goals
15 Assists
48 Apps
95 mins per goal
69 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats International Friendlies All Time Portugal
20 Goals
9 Assists
52 Apps
164 mins per goal
113 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app International Friendlies All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 39 Goals
Ronaldo 20 Goals
Assists
Messi 15 Assists
Ronaldo 9 Assists
Appearances
Messi 48 Appearances
Ronaldo 52 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 3,717 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 3,288 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.81 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.38 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 95.3 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 164.4 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 68.8 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 113.4 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 5 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 0 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 9/12 Penalties
Ronaldo 1/4 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 0 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 1 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 3 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 1 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 27 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 17 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 36 Left Foot
Ronaldo 5 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 2 Right Foot
Ronaldo 9 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 1 Headers
Ronaldo 6 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 75.0% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 25.0% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
Copa America / Euros
Messi Stats Copa America / Euros All Time Argentina
13 Goals
17 Assists
34 Apps
224 mins per goal
97 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats Copa America / Euros All Time Portugal
14 Goals
6 Assists
25 Apps
154 mins per goal
108 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app Copa America / Euros All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 13 Goals
Ronaldo 14 Goals
Assists
Messi 17 Assists
Ronaldo 6 Assists
Appearances
Messi 34 Appearances
Ronaldo 25 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 2,906 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 2,154 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.38 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.56 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 223.5 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 153.9 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 96.9 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 107.7 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 1 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 0 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 3/3 Penalties
Ronaldo 3/4 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 4 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 0 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 1 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 0 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 5 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 11 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 13 Left Foot
Ronaldo 2 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 0 Right Foot
Ronaldo 7 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 5 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 100.0% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 75.0% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
Free Kick Attemtps
Messi 30 Free Kick Attemtps
Ronaldo 28 Free Kick Attemtps
Free Kick Conversion
Messi 13.3% Free Kick Conversion
Ronaldo 0.0% Free Kick Conversion
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
World Cup
Messi Stats World Cup All Time Argentina
6 Goals
5 Assists
19 Apps
271 mins per goal
148 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats World Cup All Time Portugal
7 Goals
2 Assists
17 Apps
211 mins per goal
164 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app World Cup All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 6 Goals
Ronaldo 7 Goals
Assists
Messi 5 Assists
Ronaldo 2 Assists
Appearances
Messi 19 Appearances
Ronaldo 17 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 1,624 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 1,474 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.32 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.41 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 270.7 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 210.6 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 147.6 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 163.8 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 0 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 1 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 0/1 Penalties
Ronaldo 2/3 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 1 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 1 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 2 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 1 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 3 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 3 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 4 Left Foot
Ronaldo 2 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 2 Right Foot
Ronaldo 4 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 1 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Successful Dribbles
Messi 110 Successful Dribbles
Ronaldo 36 Successful Dribbles
Penalty Conversion
Messi 0.0% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 66.7% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
Free Kick Attemtps
Messi 16 Free Kick Attemtps
Ronaldo 24 Free Kick Attemtps
Free Kick Conversion
Messi 6.3% Free Kick Conversion
Ronaldo 4.2% Free Kick Conversion
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
All Major Tournaments
Messi Stats All Major Tournaments All Time Argentina
19 Goals
22 Assists
53 Apps
238 mins per goal
110 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats All Major Tournaments All Time Portugal
21 Goals
8 Assists
42 Apps
173 mins per goal
125 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app All Major Tournaments All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 19 Goals
Ronaldo 21 Goals
Assists
Messi 22 Assists
Ronaldo 8 Assists
Appearances
Messi 53 Appearances
Ronaldo 42 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 4,530 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 3,628 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.36 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.50 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 238.4 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 172.8 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 110.5 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 125.1 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 1 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 1 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 3/4 Penalties
Ronaldo 5/7 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 5 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 1 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 3 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 1 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 8 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 14 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 17 Left Foot
Ronaldo 4 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 2 Right Foot
Ronaldo 11 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 6 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 75.0% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 71.4% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
Free Kick Attemtps
Messi 46 Free Kick Attemtps
Ronaldo 52 Free Kick Attemtps
Free Kick Conversion
Messi 10.9% Free Kick Conversion
Ronaldo 1.9% Free Kick Conversion
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
World Cup Qualifiers
Messi Stats World Cup Qualifiers All Time Argentina
28 Goals
10 Assists
60 Apps
180 mins per goal
133 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats World Cup Qualifiers All Time Portugal
36 Goals
11 Assists
47 Apps
111 mins per goal
85 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app World Cup Qualifiers All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 28 Goals
Ronaldo 36 Goals
Assists
Messi 10 Assists
Ronaldo 11 Assists
Appearances
Messi 60 Appearances
Ronaldo 47 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 5,035 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 3,987 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.47 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.77 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 179.8 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 110.8 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 132.5 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 84.8 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 2 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 5 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 7/7 Penalties
Ronaldo 4/6 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 3 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 3 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 4 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 3 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 14 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 26 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 24 Left Foot
Ronaldo 10 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 3 Right Foot
Ronaldo 14 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 1 Headers
Ronaldo 12 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Messi 100.0% Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 66.7% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
European Championship Qualifiers
Messi Stats Euros Qualifier All Time Argentina
0 Goals
0 Assists
0 Apps
0 goals per game
Ronaldo Stats Euros Qualifier All Time Portugal
31 Goals
3 Assists
35 Apps
98 mins per goal
89 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app European Championship Qualifiers All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 0 Goals
Ronaldo 31 Goals
Assists
Messi 0 Assists
Ronaldo 3 Assists
Appearances
Messi 0 Appearances
Ronaldo 35 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 0 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 3,030 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.00 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.89 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 0.0 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 97.7 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 0.0 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 89.1 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 0 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 3 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 0/0 Penalties
Ronaldo 5/5 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 0 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 3 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 0 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 5 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 0 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 18 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 0 Left Foot
Ronaldo 7 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 0 Right Foot
Ronaldo 21 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 3 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 100.0% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
Confederations Cup
Messi Stats Confederations Cup All Time Argentina
0 Goals
0 Assists
0 Apps
0 goals per game
Ronaldo Stats Confederations Cup All Time Portugal
2 Goals
1 Assists
4 Apps
184 mins per goal
122 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app Confederations Cup All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 0 Goals
Ronaldo 2 Goals
Assists
Messi 0 Assists
Ronaldo 1 Assists
Appearances
Messi 0 Appearances
Ronaldo 4 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 0 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 367 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.00 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.50 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 0.0 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 183.5 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 0.0 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 122.3 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 0 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 0 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 0/0 Penalties
Ronaldo 1/1 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 0 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 0 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 0 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 0 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 0 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 1 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 0 Left Foot
Ronaldo 0 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 0 Right Foot
Ronaldo 1 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 1 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
Penalty Conversion
Ronaldo 100.0% Penalty Conversion
not including shootouts
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
UEFA Nations League
Messi Stats UEFA Nations League All Time Argentina
0 Goals
0 Assists
0 Apps
0 goals per game
Ronaldo Stats UEFA Nations League All Time Portugal
7 Goals
0 Assists
9 Apps
106 mins per goal
106 mins per goal contribution
messivsronaldo.app UEFA Nations League All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 0 Goals
Ronaldo 7 Goals
Assists
Messi 0 Assists
Ronaldo 0 Assists
Appearances
Messi 0 Appearances
Ronaldo 9 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 0 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 739 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.00 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.78 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 0.0 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 105.6 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 0.0 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 105.6 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 0 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 1 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 0/0 Penalties
Ronaldo 0/0 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 0 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 2 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 0 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 1 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 0 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 4 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 0 Left Foot
Ronaldo 0 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 0 Right Foot
Ronaldo 7 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 0 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
Finalissima
Messi Stats Finalissima All Time Argentina
0 Goals
2 Assists
1 Apps
0 goals per game
45 mins per goal contribution
Ronaldo Stats Finalissima All Time Portugal
0 Goals
0 Assists
0 Apps
0 goals per game
messivsronaldo.app Finalissima All Time Stats
Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo
Goal Contributions
Goals
Messi 0 Goals
Ronaldo 0 Goals
Assists
Messi 2 Assists
Ronaldo 0 Assists
Appearances
Messi 1 Appearances
Ronaldo 0 Appearances
Minutes Played
Messi 90 Minutes Played
Ronaldo 0 Minutes Played
Goals Per Game
Messi 0.00 Goals Per Game
Ronaldo 0.00 Goals Per Game
Minutes Per Goal
Messi 0.0 Minutes Per Goal
Ronaldo 0.0 Minutes Per Goal
Mins Per Goal/Assist
Messi 45.0 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Ronaldo 0.0 Mins Per Goal/Assist
Hat-tricks
Messi 0 Hat-tricks
Ronaldo 0 Hat-tricks
Goals By Type
Penalties
Messi 0/0 Penalties
Ronaldo 0/0 Penalties
not including shootouts
Free Kick Goals
Messi 0 Free Kick Goals
Ronaldo 0 Free Kick Goals
Outside the Box
Messi 0 Outside the Box
Ronaldo 0 Outside the Box
not including free kick goals
Inside the Box
Messi 0 Inside the Box
Ronaldo 0 Inside the Box
not including penalty goals
Left Foot
Messi 0 Left Foot
Ronaldo 0 Left Foot
Right Foot
Messi 0 Right Foot
Ronaldo 0 Right Foot
Headers
Messi 0 Headers
Ronaldo 0 Headers
Other Body Part
Messi 0 Other Body Part
Ronaldo 0 Other Body Part
Performance Stats
* Match ratings and MOTM based on WhoScored ratings
Messi and Ronaldo International Stats
All stats on this page will auto-update
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both had impressive international careers for Argentina and Portugal respectively.
Messi is Argentina's all time top goalscorer with 86 goals in 162 caps, scoring 0.53 goals per game. He's also Argentina's all time top provider with 49 assists.
Likewise, Ronaldo is Portugal's all time leading goalscorer with an incredible 117 goals in 189 caps, scoring an average of 0.62 goals per game.
If we look at minutes played, Messi scores a goal every 155.5 minutes, whilst Ronaldo scores a goal every 128.5 minutes.
Factoring in assists, Messi directly contributes to a goal every 99.1 minutes for Argentina, with Ronaldo scoring or assisting every 100.9 minutes for Portugal.
Clearly, both players have contributed to their national teams significantly and prolifically, and have done so for over 15 years.
Dispelling the Messi myth
A popular narrative that used to be quite prominent was that:
"Messi has never done it at international level"
This narrative materialised through Messi's unfortunate record of having lost 4 major international finals with Argentina. However, he was finally able to triumph with his country in his 5th major final, beating Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final at the Maracana.
Of course, it was never accurate to suggest Messi had "never done it" at international level just because his side regularly made the top 2, but not the top 1. The results of his 5 major finals do not make Messi a better or worse player for Argentina.
It's probable that some well-meaning individuals fall into the "Messi has never done it at international level" trap because his goal return of 0.53 goals per game is significantly lower than what he registers at club level. However, the same is true for Ronaldo, with his 0.62 goals per game considerably lower than his club level averages. Not to mention that 0.5 goals per game is the yardstick typically used to measure elite strikers.
Leo Messi also tends to adopt the traditional Argentine Enganche role of a playmaking number 10 more often for his country, with the team's primary goal threats playing ahead of him. This is borne out in the fact that Messi has provided a whopping 49 assists on top of his 86 goals.
International Trophies
Ronaldo has reached two major international finals with Portugal, both at the European Championships. His first, way back in 2004, saw his Portugal side stunned on home soil against pre-tournament outsiders Greece, who ran out 1-0 winners.
His second major final took place in Paris 12 years later, where this time the favoured team on home soil was the opposition: France. Unfortunately for Ronaldo, he suffered an injury after just eight minutes and eventually had to be substituted in the 25th minute. More fortunately though, after a tense goalless ninety minutes, Portugal's Eder struck the winning goal in extra-time from 25 yards. Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo were European champions for the first time.
In 2019, Portugal also won the very first edition of the UEFA Nations League, a brand new competition brought in to replace stale international friendlies. Ronaldo played no part in the four group stage matches, but when Portugal qualified for the semi-final stage, he came back with a bang, scoring a hat-trick to beat Switzerland 3-1 and put Portugal in the final. There they faced the Netherlands, with GonΓ§alo Guedes scoring the game's only goal.
Not a Euros or a World Cup, but a 2nd international trophy for Ronaldo in 4 years nonetheless.
Ronaldo's International Finals
β Euro 2004 - 0-1 vs Greece
π Euro 2016 - 1-0 (AET) vs France
π UEFA Nations League 2019 - 1-0 vs Netherlands
Messi's International Finals
π U20 World Cup - 2-1 vs Nigeria
β Copa America 2007 - 0-3 vs Brazil
π Beijing Olympics 2008 (U23) - 1-0 vs Nigeria
β World Cup 2014 - 0-1 (AET) vs Germany
β Copa America 2015 - 0-0 vs Chile (1-4 pens)
β Copa America 2016 - 0-0 vs Chile (2-4 pens)
π Copa America 2021 - 1-0 vs Brazil
π Finalissima 2022 - 2-0 vs Italy
Messi's long awaited international triumph with the full senior Argentina team came at the 2021 Copa America, where his Argentina side beat favourites Brazil in the final at the Maracana. This ended Brazil's 46 year long ubeaten run in Copa America matches on home soil, and ended Argentina's 28 year major trophy drought! Messi also picked up the tournament's awards for Best Player and the Golden Boot.
Looking beyond Leo Messi's five major finals, he also competed in the 2008 Olympics, where an U23 Argentina side (plus three over age players) won every game en route to the Gold Medal.
In addition to this, Messi also won the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2005, scoring a Golden Boot winning 6 goals (including 2 in the final) along the way.
International Tournament Goals & Assists
Ronaldo made his major tournament debut on home soil at Euro 2004, in which he scored 2 goals and made it all the way to the final before a shock defeat to Greece. Messi debuted at the 2006 World Cup, where he scored 13 minutes into his first appearance; further goals scored at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups granted Messi the unique record of being the only player to score at a World Cup in his teens, twenties and thirties.
Messi Major International Tournament Goals & Assists
Tournament
Goals (Group/KO)
Assists (Group/KO)
Apps (Group/KO)
Out in
Awards
World Cup 2006
1 (1/0)
1 (1/0)
3 (2/1)
Quarters (pens)
Copa America 2007
2 (0/2)
1 (1/0)
6 (3/3)
Final
Best Young Player
World Cup 2010
0 (0/0)
1 (0/1)
5 (3/2)
Quarters
1 MOTM
Copa America 2011
0 (0/0)
3 (2/1)
4 (3/1)
Quarters (pens)
2 MOTM
World Cup 2014
4 (4/0)
1 (0/1)
7 (3/4)
Final (aet)
Golden Ball, 4 MOTM
Copa America 2015
1 (1/0)
3 (0/3)
6 (3/3)
Final (pens)
Best Player, 4 MOTM
Copa America 2016
5 (3/2)
4 (0/4)
5 (2/3)
Final (pens)
3 MOTM
World Cup 2018
1 (1/0)
2 (0/2)
4 (3/1)
Last 16
1 MOTM
Copa America 2019
1 (1/0)
1 (0/1)
6 (3/3)
Semis
1 MOTM
Copa America 2021
4 (3/1)
5 (2/3)
7 (4/3)
Winners
Best Player, Golden Boot, 4 MOTM
TOTALS
19 (14/5)
22 (6/16)
53 (29/24)
3 best player, 1 Golden Boot, 20 MOTM
Interestingly, Messi has scored the majority of his goals in the group stages at international tournaments, but has made considerably more assists in the knockout rounds, with 16 of his 22 assists being provided in the knockout stages.
Having played in 10 major international tournaments, Messi actually has the record for the most goals contributions in major tournament history, both overall and in the knockout rounds specifically.
Ronaldo Major International Tournament Goals & Assists
Tournament
Goals (Group/KO)
Assists (Group/KO)
Apps (Group/KO)
Out in
Awards
Euro 2004
2 (1/1)
2 (1/1)
6 (3/3)
Final
World Cup 2006
1 (1/0)
0 (0/0)
6 (2/4)
Semis
Euro 2008
1 (1/0)
1 (1/0)
3 (2/1)
Quarters
1 MOTM
World Cup 2010
1 (1/0)
1 (1/0)
4 (3/1)
Last 16
3 MOTM
Euro 2012
3 (2/1)
0 (0/0)
5 (3/2)
Semis (pens)
2 MOTM
World Cup 2014
1 (1/0)
1 (1/0)
3 (3/0)
Group Stage
1 MOTM
Euro 2016
3 (2/1)
2 (1/1)
7 (3/4)
Winners (aet)
2 MOTM, Silver Boot
World Cup 2018
4 (4/0)
0 (0/0)
4 (3/1)
Last 16
2 MOTM
Euro 2021
5 (5/0)
1 (1/0)
4 (3/1)
Last 16
1 MOTM, Golden Boot
TOTALS
21 (18/3)
7 (6/2)
42 (25/17)
12 MOTM, 1 Golden Boot, 1 Silver Boot
Having played in five European Championships and reaching at least the semi-finals in 3 of them, Ronaldo has played the most games of all time in the tournament, with 25 appearances. He's also the only player to score at five different Euros, and is the all time leading scorer in the competition as well with 14 goals.
In addition to the finals tournament, Ronaldo also leads the way in qualifying too, having scored a record 31 goals in European Championship qualifiers, as well as a record 36 goals in European World Cup qualifying matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo has also now scored the most goals in the history of the international football, with a staggering 117 goals!
Messi & Ronaldo International Tournament Awards and Achievements
Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo
2022 Finalissima Winner
2021 Copa America Winner
2008 Olympics Gold Medal
2005 FIFA U20 World Cup Winner
2016 Copa America Runner-up
2015 Copa America Runner-up
2014 FIFA World Cup Runner-up
2007 Copa America Runner-up
2022 Finalissima Best Player
2021 Copa America Golden Ball
2015 Copa America Golden Ball
2014 World Cup Golden Ball
2007 Copa America Best Young Player
2005 U20 World Cup Golden Ball
2021 Copa America Golden Boot
2016 Copa America 2nd Top Scorer
2005 U20 World Cup Golden Boot
2021 Copa America Top Assister
2018 World Cup Top Assister (16 players on 2)
2016 Copa America Top Assister
2015 Copa America Top Assister
2011 Copa America Top Assister
2016 Euros Winner
2019 Nations League Winner
2004 Euros Runner-up
2021 Euros Golden Boot
2019 Nations League Finals Golden Boot
2016 Euros Silver Boot
Euro 2012 joint top scorer (6 players on 3 - Torres Golden Boot)
2019 Nations League Finals Goal of the Tournament
Check out more of Messi and Ronaldo's international records over on the Records page.
Competitive vs Friendly International Goals
Ronaldo has scored a much greater proportion of his international goals in competitive games than Messi has, scoring 97 out of his total 117 goals in competitive internationals (82.91%). Messi has scored 47 goals out of 86 in competitive internationals (54.65%).
Messi International Goals & Assists
Competitive games:47 goals, 34 assists, 114 caps
Friendly games:39 goals, 15 assists, 48 caps
Ronaldo International Goals & Assists
Competitive games:97 goals, 23 assists, 137 caps
Friendly games:20 goals, 9 assists, 52 caps
Cristiano Ronaldo clearly has the superior goalscoring stats in competitive internationals, but we must consider the level of opposition.
Level of Competitive Opposition
One reason for the contrast in friendly/competitive goals between the two is the type of opponents they typically face. In Europe, World Cup and European Championship qualification is split into several groups, with each group featuring a couple of extremely lowly ranked teams, such as San Marino, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Latvia, Faroe Islands and several others.
In South America on the other hand, they don't have a qualification stage for the Copa America, and World Cup qualification features a single group in which you must play all of the continent's heavyweights. There are also no real easy contests in this group (in comparison to some of the European micro-nations), with even the lowest ranked side Bolivia being an infamously tough team to play away due to the unusually high altitude level.
As a result of these contrasting situations, Ronaldo has played many more competitive fixtures against lower ranked sides than Messi has. The average official FIFA ranking of Ronaldo's opponents in competitive matches is 49.4, whereas the average ranking of Messi's opponents in competitive games is 34.1.
Cristiano has also scored 28 of his competitve goals against sides ranked 100 or lower, whereas Messi has 0 goals against 100+ ranked sides having played just 2 competitive games against this level of opponent.
To clarify, this is absolutely no slight on Ronaldo; if Messi had the opportunity to play against such low ranked teams with the same regularity then he would undoubtedly have scored a similarly large portion of his goals against these opponents. The takeaway here is that we are not comparing apples with apples - there is relevant context to the pair's competitive/friendly scoring levels due to their contrasting situations.
Follow us on Twitter at @mvsrapp for more Messi vs Ronaldo stats.