Messi–Ronaldo rivalry

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi before an international friendly between Argentina and Portugal in Geneva, Switzerland, 9 February 2011
Lionel Messi This article is part of a series about
Lionel Messi

Argentine professional footballer

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A man in a red shirt looks to his right. This article is part of a series about
Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese professional footballer

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The Messi–Ronaldo rivalry is an association football rivalry between Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo. Having won a combined eleven Ballon d'Or/FIFA Ballon d'Or awards (six for Messi and five for Ronaldo) and ten European Golden Shoe awards (six for Messi and four for Ronaldo), both are widely regarded as two of the greatest players of all time. They are two of the most decorated football players ever, having won a combined 67 trophies (Ronaldo 32, Messi 35) during their senior careers thus far, and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a single season. They are amongst the 51 players in the history of the sport to score over 500 career goals, with both having scored over 700 goals each in their careers for club and country. Ronaldo currently holds the world record for most official goals in a career.[1]

Journalists and pundits regularly argue the individual merits of both players in an attempt to establish who they believe is the best player in modern football or ever. Regardless of preference, football critics generally agree that both are the greatest players of their generation and among the best of all time, outperforming their peers numerically, largely by a significant margin. Messi's combination of dribbling, playmaking, and goalscoring skills is often considered among the best in history, while Ronaldo's physical attributes, goalscoring skills, leadership and influence under pressure is well-appreciated worldwide.[2][3][4][5][6] It has been compared to past global sports rivalries such as the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Roger Federer–Rafael Nadal rivalry and the Björn Borg–John McEnroe rivalry in tennis, and the Alain Prost–Ayrton Senna rivalry in Formula One motor racing.[7][8][9] Some commentators choose to analyse the differing physiques and playing styles of the two,[10] while part of the debate revolves around the contrasting personalities of the two players; Ronaldo is sometimes described as someone of temperamental character while Messi is considered to have a more reserved character.[11][12][13][14]

At club level, Messi and Ronaldo represented rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF for nearly a decade. The two players faced each other at least twice every season in the world's most popular regular-season club game, El Clásico (among the most viewed annual sporting events), from Ronaldo's arrival at Madrid in 2009 until his transfer to Italian club Juventus F.C. in 2018.[15][16] Off the field, they are also the face of two rival sportswear manufacturers, Messi of Adidas and Ronaldo of Nike, which are also the kit suppliers of their national teams and the opposite for their clubs.[17][18] The two highest-paid players in football, Messi and Ronaldo are among the world's best-paid sports stars in combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings. In 2018, Messi topped Ronaldo on the Forbes' list of highest-paid sportspeople, earning $111 million, with Ronaldo next on the list at $108 million.[19]

History[]

In 2007, Ronaldo and Messi finished as runners-up to A.C. Milan's Kaká in both the Ballon d'Or, an award rewarded to the player voted as the best in the world by an international panel of sports journalists; and the FIFA World Player of the Year, an award voted for by coaches and captains of international teams. In an interview that year, Messi was quoted as saying that "Cristiano Ronaldo is an extraordinary player and it would be brilliant to be in the same team as him."[20][21]

They first played in a game against each other when Manchester United were drawn to play Barcelona in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals and were immediately pitted as major rivals.[22][23][24] Ronaldo missed a penalty in the first leg,[25] but United eventually advanced to the final via a Paul Scholes goal.[26] At the end of the year, Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or and vowed that he would win the award again.[27][28]

The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was contested between Manchester United and Barcelona on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match, described as a "dream clash",[29] was again hyped as the latest battle between the two, this time to settle who was the best player in the world;[30][31] Ronaldo claimed he was the better of the two,[32] while Messi's club-mate Xavi sided with him.[33] Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was more diplomatic, praising both players as being amongst the world's elite talents.[34][35] Messi, playing in a central role he was unaccustomed to so he would avoid a direct battle with Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra,[36] scored Barcelona's second in a 2–0 victory with a header in the 70th minute.[37] Meanwhile, Ronaldo was subdued for much of the game, despite some early chances to score, and his frustration eventually showed when he was booked for a rash tackle on Carles Puyol.[38][39]

From 2009 to 2018, the two played against each other at least twice per season during El Clásico matches but also met many other times competitions such as the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and, a two-legged Champions League semifinal in 2011. Messi won four consecutive Ballon d'Or awards (2009 to 2012), with a fifth coming in 2015, while Ronaldo had equalled Messi's total of five with wins in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. In 2019, Messi took the lead again by earning his sixth Ballon d'Or, finishing just seven points ahead of second-placed Virgil van Dijk, with Ronaldo finishing third. In total, Messi and Ronaldo reached the podium a record twelve times each. Messi won two Champions League while Ronaldo was playing for Real Madrid, with the latter securing four out of five titles between 2014 and 2018. Messi during this period won five Pichichi trophies and European Golden Shoe awards (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018), while Ronaldo won these prizes four times each (2008, 2011, 2014 and 2015). From 2009 to 2018, Ronaldo was the Champions League top scorer on six occasions, with Messi achieving this feat four times (including in 2015 when the pair finished joint-top).

Relationship between Messi and Ronaldo[]

In a 2016[40] interview, Ronaldo commented on the rivalry by saying: "I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high."[41] Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo's manager during his time at Manchester United, opined: "I don't think the rivalry against each other bothers them. I think they have their own personal pride in terms of wanting to be the best."[42] Messi has denied any rivalry, and blames the media for creating it, stating that "only the media, the press, who wants us to be at loggerheads but I've never fought with Cristiano."[43]

It is widely argued and documented that there is an atmosphere of competition between the duo, with Guillem Balagué claiming in the book Ronaldo that he refers to his Argentine counterpart as a "motherfucker" behind his back,[44][45] and Luca Caioli saying in his book Ronaldo: The Obsession for Perfection that, according to his sources, Ronaldo heats up when watching Messi play.[46] In response to claims that he and Messi do not get on well on a personal level, Ronaldo commented: "We don't have a relationship outside the world of football, just as we don't with a lot of other players", before adding that in years to come he hopes they can laugh about it together, stating: "We have to look on this rivalry with a positive spirit, because it's a good thing."[47] On 13 November 2014, Ronaldo also threatened to take legal action over the remarks made by Balagué.[48] After Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid to Juventus, Messi admitted to missing him, saying: "I miss Cristiano. Although it was a bit difficult to see him win trophies, he gave La Liga prestige."[49] During a joint interview at the UEFA Player of the Year ceremony in 2019, Ronaldo said he would like to "have dinner together in the future", to which Messi later replied: "If I get an invitation, why not?"[50]

Awards and records[]

Throughout the existence of the rivalry, the pair have dominated awards ceremonies and broken a multitude of goalscoring records for both club and country, feats which have been described as "incredible", "ridiculous" and "remarkable".[51][52][53] The rivalry itself has been described as one about records and reputation of the players, rather than one based in loathing.[54][55]

Messi is the all-time La Liga top scorer, as well as having the most assists in the competition's history – with Ronaldo in second for goals scored and in third for assists provided[56] – while Ronaldo is the UEFA Champions League all-time top goalscorer and assist provider, with Messi in second for both goals scored and assists provided in the competition's history. The two had broken each other's record over the course of 2015 after Messi surpassed the previous record holder Raúl in November 2014.[57] Ronaldo opened a gap in the 2015–16 season when he became the first player to score double figures in the group stage of the Champions League, setting the record at 11 goals.[58] They are the first two players to score 100 goals in UEFA Champions League history.[59]

They dominated the Ballon d'Or/The Best FIFA Men's Player awards since 2008, and UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award since 2014; in 2018, their roughly decade-long triumph was ended by Luka Modrić, seen as "the end of an era".[60][61][62] In an interview for the France Football, Modrić stated that "history will say that a Croatian player, representing his small country, won the Ballon d'Or after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are players at another level. Nobody has the right to compare themselves to them." Since 2008, Messi has won six Ballons d'Or to Ronaldo's five,[63] six FIFA World's Best Player awards to Ronaldo's five, and six European Golden Shoes to Ronaldo's four.[64]

Collectively, Ronaldo has won 32 major trophies including seven league titles and five Champions Leagues, and guided Portugal to their first trophies UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. He has also won four national cups, two league cups, six national super cups, two European Super Cups, and four FIFA Club World Cups.

Messi has won a club record 34 major trophies as a Barcelona player, including ten league titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Copa del Rey titles, seven Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups. Messi was runner-up at three Copa Américas and at the 2014 World Cup, before finally claiming his first major international trophy at the 2021 Copa América, where he was named best player.[65][66]

Player statistics[]

Club statistics[]

As of 19 September 2021
Lionel Messi
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
———————————————————————————————————
———————————————————————————————————
Barcelona
2004–05 7 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 9 1
2005–06 17 6 2 1 6 1 0 0 25 8
2006–07 26 14 2 2 5 1 3 0 36 17
2007–08 28 10 3 0 9 6 0 0 40 16
2008–09 31 23 8 6 12 9 0 0 51 38
2009–10 35 34 3 1 11 8 4 4 53 47
2010–11 33 31 7 7 13 12 2 3 55 53
2011–12 37 50 7 3 11 14 5 6 60 73
2012–13 32 46 5 4 11 8 2 2 50 60
2013–14 31 28 6 5 7 8 2 0 46 41
2014–15 38 43 6 5 13 10 0 0 57 58
2015–16 33 26 5 5 7 6 4 4 49 41
2016–17 34 37 7 5 9 11 2 1 52 54
2017–18 36 34 6 4 10 6 2 1 54 45
2018–19 34 36 5 3 10 12 1 0 50 51
2019–20 33 25 2 2 8 3 1 1 44 31
2020–21 35 30 5 3 6 5 1 0 47 38
Paris Saint-Germain
2021–22 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Total 522[a] 474 80 56 150 120 29 22 781[a] 672
Cristiano Ronaldo
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting CP
2002–03 25 3 3 2 3 0 0 0 31 5
Manchester
United
2003–04 29 4 6 2 5 0 0 0 40 6
2004–05 33 5 9 4 8 0 0 0 50 9
2005–06 33 9 6 2 8 1 0 0 47 12
2006–07 34 17 8 3 11 3 0 0 53 23
2007–08 34 31 3 3 11 8 1 0 49 42
2008–09 33 18 6 3 12 4 2 1 53 26
Real Madrid
2009–10 29 26 0 0 6 7 0 0 35 33
2010–11 34 40 8 7 12 6 0 0 54 53
2011–12 38 46 5 3 10 10 2 1 55 60
2012–13 34 34 7 7 12 12 2 2 55 55
2013–14 30 31 6 3 11 17 0 0 47 51
2014–15 35 48 2 1 12 10 5 2 54 61
2015–16 36 35 0 0 12 16 0 0 48 51
2016–17 29 25 2 1 13 12 2 4 46 42
2017–18 27 26 0 0 13 15 4 3 44 44
Juventus
2018–19 31 21 2 0 9 6 1 1 43 28
2019–20 33 31 4 2 8 4 1 0 46 37
2020–21 33 29 4 2 6 4 1 1 44 36
2021–22 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Manchester
United
2021–22 2 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 4
Total 613[b] 482 81 45 183 136 21 15 898[b] 678
Notes
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Not including second and third division matches (Barcelona B and C, 2003–05).
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Not including second division matches (Sporting CP B, 2002–03).

International statistics[]

As of 10 September 2021
Lionel Messi[67]
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
—————————————————
—————————————————
Argentina 2005 3 0 2 0 5 0
2006 3 1 4 1 7 2
2007 10 4 4 2 14 6
2008 6 1 2 1 8 2
2009 8 1 2 2 10 3
2010 5 0 5 2 10 2
2011 8 2 5 2 13 4
2012 5 5 4 7 9 12
2013 5 3 2 3 7 6
2014 7 4 7 4 14 8
2015 6 1 2 3 8 4
2016 10 8 1 0 11 8
2017 5 4 2 0 7 4
2018 4 1 1 3 5 4
2019 6 1 4 4 10 5
2020 4 1 0 0 4 1
2021 11 8 0 0 11 8
Total 106 45 47 34 153 79[68]
Cristiano Ronaldo[69]
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Portugal 2003 0 0 2 0 2 0
2004 11 7 5 0 16 7
2005 7 2 4 0 11 2
2006 10 4 4 2 14 6
2007 9 5 1 0 10 5
2008 5 1 3 0 8 1
2009 5 0 2 1 7 1
2010 6 3 5 0 11 3
2011 6 5 2 2 8 7
2012 9 4 4 1 13 5
2013 6 7 3 3 9 10
2014 5 3 4 2 9 5
2015 4 3 1 0 5 3
2016 10 10 3 3 13 13
2017 10 10 1 1 11 11
2018 4 4 3 2 7 6
2019 10 14 0 0 10 14
2020 4 2 2 1 6 3
2021 7 6 2 1 9 7
Total 129 92 51 19 180 111[70]

Hat-tricks[]

As of 10 September 2021
Lionel Messi
No. For Against Result Competition Date
1 Barcelona Real Madrid 3–3 (H) 2006–07 La Liga 10 March 2007
2 Atlético Madrid 3–1 (A) 2008–09 Copa del Rey 6 January 2009
3 Tenerife 5–0 (A) 2009–10 La Liga 10 January 2010
4 Valencia 3–0 (H) 2009–10 La Liga 14 March 2010
5 Zaragoza 4–2 (A) 2009–10 La Liga 21 March 2010
6 Arsenal 4 4–1 (H) 2009–10 UEFA Champions League 6 April 2010
7 Sevilla 4–0 (H) 2010 Supercopa de España 21 August 2010
8 Almería 8–0 (A) 2010–11 La Liga 20 November 2010
9 Real Betis 5–0 (H) 2010–11 Copa del Rey 12 January 2011
10 Atlético Madrid 3–0 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 5 February 2011
11 Osasuna 8–0 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 17 September 2011
12 Atlético Madrid 5–0 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 24 September 2011
13 Mallorca 5–0 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 29 October 2011
14 Viktoria Plzeň 4–0 (A) 2011–12 UEFA Champions League 1 November 2011
15 Málaga 4–1 (A) 2011–12 La Liga 22 January 2012
16 Valencia 4 5–1 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 19 February 2012
17 Argentina Switzerland 3–1 (A) Friendly 29 February 2012
18 Barcelona Bayer Leverkusen 5 7–1 (H) 2011–12 UEFA Champions League 7 March 2012
19 Espanyol 4 4–0 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 20 March 2012
20 Granada 5–3 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 2 May 2012
21 Málaga 4–1 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 5 May 2012
22 Argentina Brazil 4–3 (N) Friendly 9 June 2012
23 Barcelona Deportivo La Coruña 5–4 (A) 2012–13 La Liga 20 October 2012
24 Osasuna 4 5–1 (H) 2012–13 La Liga 27 January 2013
25 Argentina Guatemala 4–0 (A) Friendly 14 June 2013
26 Barcelona Valencia 3–2 (A) 2013–14 La Liga 1 September 2013
27 Ajax 4–0 (H) 2013–14 UEFA Champions League 18 September 2013
28 Osasuna 7–0 (H) 2013–14 La Liga 16 March 2014
29 Real Madrid 4–3 (A) 2013–14 La Liga 23 March 2014
30 Sevilla 5–1 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 22 November 2014
31 APOEL 4–0 (H) 2014–15 UEFA Champions League 25 November 2014
32 Espanyol 5–1 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 7 December 2014
33 Deportivo La Coruña 4–0 (A) 2014–15 La Liga 18 January 2015
34 Levante 5–0 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 15 February 2015
35 Rayo Vallecano 6–1 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 15 March 2015
36 Granada 4–0 (H) 2015–16 La Liga 9 January 2016
37 Valencia 7–0 (H) 2015–16 Copa del Rey 3 February 2016
38 Rayo Vallecano 5–1 (A) 2015–16 La Liga 3 March 2016
39 Argentina Panama 5–0 (N) Copa América Centenario 10 June 2016
40 Barcelona Celtic 7–0 (H) 2016–17 UEFA Champions League 13 September 2016
41 Manchester City 4–0 (H) 2016–17 UEFA Champions League 19 October 2016
42 Espanyol 5–0 (H) 2017–18 La Liga 9 September 2017
43 Eibar 4 6–1 (H) 2017–18 La Liga 19 September 2017
44 Argentina Ecuador 3–1 (A) 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification 10 October 2017
45 Barcelona Leganés 3–1 (H) 2017–18 La Liga 7 April 2018
46 Deportivo La Coruña 4–2 (A) 2017–18 La Liga 29 April 2018
47 Argentina Haiti 4–0 (H) Friendly 29 May 2018
48 Barcelona PSV Eindhoven 4–0 (H) 2018–19 UEFA Champions League 18 September 2018
49 Levante 5–0 (A) 2018–19 La Liga 16 December 2018
50 Sevilla 4–2 (A) 2018–19 La Liga 23 February 2019
51 Real Betis 4–1 (A) 2018–19 La Liga 17 March 2019
52 Celta Vigo 4–1 (H) 2019–20 La Liga 9 November 2019
53 Mallorca 5–2 (H) 2019–20 La Liga 7 December 2019
54 Eibar 4 5–0 (H) 2019–20 La Liga 22 February 2020
55 Argentina Bolivia 3–0 (H) 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification 9 September 2021
Cristiano Ronaldo
No. For Against Result Competition Date
1 Manchester United Newcastle United 6–0 (H) 2007–08 Premier League 12 January 2008
2 Real Madrid Mallorca 4–1 (A) 2009–10 La Liga 5 May 2010
3 Racing Santander 4 6–1 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 23 October 2010
4 Athletic Bilbao 5–1 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 20 November 2010
5 Levante 8–0 (H) 2010–11 Copa del Rey 22 December 2010
6 Villarreal 4–2 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 9 January 2011
7 Málaga 7–0 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 3 March 2011
8 Sevilla 4 6–2 (A) 2010–11 La Liga 7 May 2011
9 Getafe 4–0 (H) 2010–11 La Liga 10 May 2011
10 Zaragoza 6–0 (A) 2011–12 La Liga 28 August 2011
11 Rayo Vallecano 4 6–2 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 24 September 2011
12 Málaga 4–0 (A) 2011–12 La Liga 22 October 2011
13 Osasuna 7–1 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 6 November 2011
14 Sevilla 6–2 (A) 2011–12 La Liga 17 December 2011
15 Levante 4–2 (H) 2011–12 La Liga 12 February 2012
16 Atlético Madrid 4–1 (A) 2011–12 La Liga 11 April 2012
17 Deportivo La Coruña 5–1 (H) 2012–13 La Liga 30 September 2012
18 Ajax 4–1 (A) 2012–13 UEFA Champions League 3 October 2012
19 Celta Vigo 4–0 (H) 2012–13 Copa del Rey 9 January 2013
20 Getafe 4–0 (H) 2012–13 La Liga 27 January 2013
21 Sevilla 4–1 (H) 2012–13 La Liga 9 February 2013
22 Portugal Northern Ireland 4–2 (A) 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 6 September 2013
23 Real Madrid Galatasaray 6–1 (A) 2013–14 UEFA Champions League 17 September 2013
24 Sevilla 7–3 (H) 2013–14 La Liga 30 October 2013
25 Real Sociedad 5–1 (H) 2013–14 La Liga 9 November 2013
26 Portugal Sweden 3–2 (A) 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 19 November 2013
27 Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruña 8–2 (A) 2014–15 La Liga 20 September 2014
28 Elche 4 5–1 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 23 September 2014
29 Athletic Bilbao 5–0 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 5 October 2014
30 Celta Vigo 3–0 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 6 December 2014
31 Granada 5 9–1 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 5 April 2015
32 Sevilla 3–2 (A) 2014–15 La Liga 2 May 2015
33 Espanyol 3–1 (A) 2014–15 La Liga 17 May 2015
34 Getafe 7–3 (H) 2014–15 La Liga 23 May 2015
35 Portugal Armenia 3–2 (A) UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying 13 June 2015
36 Real Madrid Espanyol 6 6–0 (A) 2015–16 La Liga 12 September 2015
37 Shakhtar Donetsk 4–0 (H) 2015–16 UEFA Champions League 15 September 2015
38 Malmö FF 4 8–0 (H) 2015–16 UEFA Champions League 8 December 2015
39 Espanyol 6–0 (H) 2015–16 La Liga 31 January 2016
40 Celta Vigo 4 7–1 (H) 2015–16 La Liga 5 March 2016
41 VfL Wolfsburg 3–0 (H) 2015–16 UEFA Champions League 12 April 2016
42 Portugal Andorra 4 6–0 (H) 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification 7 October 2016
43 Real Madrid Alavés 4–1 (A) 2016–17 La Liga 29 October 2016
44 Atlético Madrid 3–0 (A) 2016–17 La Liga 19 November 2016
45 Kashima Antlers 4–2 (N) 2016 FIFA Club World Cup 18 December 2016
46 Bayern Munich 4–2 (H) 2016–17 UEFA Champions League 18 April 2017
47 Atlético Madrid 3–0 (H) 2016–17 UEFA Champions League 2 May 2017
48 Portugal Faroe Islands 5–1 (H) 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification 31 August 2017
49 Real Madrid Real Sociedad 5–2 (H) 2017–18 La Liga 10 February 2018
50 Girona 4 6–3 (H) 2017–18 La Liga 18 March 2018
51 Portugal Spain 3–3 (N) 2018 FIFA World Cup 15 June 2018
52 Juventus Atlético Madrid 3–0 (H) 2018–19 UEFA Champions League 12 March 2019
53 Portugal Switzerland 3–1 (H) 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals 5 June 2019
54 Lithuania 4 5–1 (A) UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying 10 September 2019
55 Lithuania 6–0 (H) UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying 14 November 2019
56 Juventus Cagliari 4–0 (H) 2019–20 Serie A 6 January 2020
57 Cagliari 3–1 (A) 2020–21 Serie A 14 March 2021

4 or 5 Player scored 4 or 5 goals

Head-to-head[]

In past years, it had been said that the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has been "encapsulated" by the individual rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi,[71][72] with there never being a goalless El Clásico between the two.[73]

See also: List of El Clásico matches
Legend
Final
Semi-final
No. Date Competition Home team Away team Score Goals scored by the duo
1 23 April 2008 UEFA Champions League Barcelona Manchester United 0–0
2 29 April 2008 UEFA Champions League Manchester United Barcelona 1–0
3 27 May 2009 UEFA Champions League Barcelona Manchester United 2–0 Messi (Goal 70')
4 29 November 2009 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–0
5 10 April 2010 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–2 Messi (Goal 33')
6 29 November 2010 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 5–0
7 9 February 2011 International friendly Argentina Portugal 2–1 Ronaldo (Goal 21'), Messi (Goal 90' (pen.))
8 16 April 2011 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 1–1 Messi (Goal 51' (pen.)), Ronaldo (Goal 81' (pen.))
9 20 April 2011 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–0 (a.e.t.) Ronaldo (Goal 103')
10 27 April 2011 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid Barcelona 0–2 Messi (Goal 76', 87')
11 3 May 2011 UEFA Champions League Barcelona Real Madrid 1–1
12 14 August 2011 Supercopa de España Real Madrid Barcelona 2–2 Messi (Goal 45+1')
13 17 August 2011 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 3–2 Ronaldo (Goal 20'), Messi (Goal 53', 88')
14 10 December 2011 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 1–3
15 18 January 2012 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–2 Ronaldo (Goal 11')
16 25 January 2012 Copa del Rey Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo (Goal 68')
17 21 April 2012 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–2 Ronaldo (Goal 73')
18 23 August 2012 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 3–2 Ronaldo (Goal 55'), Messi (Goal 70' (pen.))
19 29 August 2012 Supercopa de España Real Madrid Barcelona 2–1 Ronaldo (Goal 19'), Messi (Goal 45')
20 7 October 2012 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo (Goal 23', 66'), Messi (Goal 31', 61')
21 30 January 2013 Copa del Rey Real Madrid Barcelona 1–1
22 26 February 2013 Copa del Rey Barcelona Real Madrid 1–3 Ronaldo (Goal 12' (pen.), 57')
23 2 March 2013 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 2–1 Messi (Goal 18')
24 26 October 2013 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–1
25 23 March 2014 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 3–4 Messi (Goal 42', 65' (pen.), 84' (pen.)), Ronaldo (Goal 55' (pen.))
26 25 October 2014 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 3–1 Ronaldo (Goal 35' (pen.))
27 18 November 2014 International friendly Argentina Portugal 0–1
28 22 March 2015 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–1 Ronaldo (Goal 31')
29 21 November 2015 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–4
30 2 April 2016 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–2 Ronaldo (Goal 85')
31 3 December 2016 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 1–1
32 23 April 2017 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 2–3 Messi (Goal 33', 90+2')
33 13 August 2017 Supercopa de España Barcelona Real Madrid 1–3 Messi (Goal 77' (pen.)), Ronaldo (Goal 80')
34 23 December 2017 La Liga Real Madrid Barcelona 0–3 Messi (Goal 64' (pen.))
35 6 May 2018 La Liga Barcelona Real Madrid 2–2 Ronaldo (Goal 14'), Messi (Goal 52')
36 8 December 2020 UEFA Champions League Barcelona Juventus 0–3 Ronaldo (Goal 13' (pen.), 52' (pen.))

Head-to-head summary[]

Competition Games played Messi wins Ronaldo wins Draws Messi goals Ronaldo goals
La Liga 18 10 4 4 12 9
UEFA Champions League 6 2 2 2 3 2
Copa del Rey 5 1 2 2 0 5
Supercopa de España 5 2 2 1 6 4
International friendly 2 1 1 0 1 1
Total 36 16 11 9 22 21

Last updated 8 December 2020

See also[]

  • List of association football rivalries between players

References[]

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