Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to retire from international football. The 41-year-old star ended his 23-year long career in Portugal’s jersey. He scored 146 goals in 234 matches for the national team. On the other hand, Lionel Messi ended his 21-year international career for Argentina. He has 126 goals in 208 matches. In other words, Ronaldo is leaving 20 goals ahead of Messi in terms of goals in international football. The statistics of the two superstars once again brought to the fore an important chapter in their long-standing rivalry.
Ronaldo leads the international goal scoring race
Ronaldo holds the record for the highest goalscorer in men’s international football. He scored 146 goals for Portugal. Messi is second in the list with 126 goals. That is, the difference between the two stars is 20 goals. Former Iranian footballer Ali Dai is third in this list with 108 goals. India’s Sunil Chhetri is fourth with 95 goals. As a result, Ronaldo and Messi are far ahead of the rest in judging the number of goals in international football.
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The Portuguese star is also dominant in the number of matches
Not only goals, Ronaldo is ahead in the number of matches played for the national team. He played 234 matches for Portugal. Messi’s number of matches for Argentina is 208. In other words, Ronaldo has played more than 26 matches on the international stage. He has consistently played for Portugal in a long career of 23 years. Messi’s international journey is also 21 years, but Ronaldo’s record in the number of matches has not been touched.
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The average margin of scoring is not very high
Although Ronaldo leads the total number of goals, the difference between the two stars in the average of goals per match is not much. With 146 goals scored in 234 matches, Ronaldo averaged around 0.62 per match. In Messi’s case, 126 goals in 208 matches, that is, an average of about 0.61. As this statistic shows, both have scored almost identically in their long international careers. However, the difference in total goals is mainly due to Ronaldo playing more matches.
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The success of two stars in World Cup and continental competitions
Both have had notable career successes in World Cup and continental competitions as well. Ronaldo won Euro 2016 for Portugal. He also won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. On the other hand, Messi led Argentina to win the World Cup in 2022. He also won Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and Finalissima in 2022. So, even though the success of the two is different in international trophies, both the stars have left their mark on the big stage for the country.
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Both have created separate places in personal records
Ronaldo’s 146 goals have made him the highest goalscorer in international football. He is also the top scorer in the main season of the European Championship with 14 goals. On the other hand, Messi’s international career is notable for his number of goals as well as assists. He has 48 assists for Argentina, which is a testament to his creative role. The two stars have different styles of play—just as Ronaldo’s ability to score gave him a special place, Messi’s ability to score goals and create goals with teammates gave him a different identity.
20 goal gap is the last thing?
Although Ronaldo is ahead of Messi by 20 goals in international football, the overall career of the two stars cannot be evaluated with this gap. Ronaldo has played the most matches and holds the record for most goals in men’s international football. Besides winning the World Cup, Messi has brought Argentina several major trophies. The two have different careers, styles of play and backgrounds of duty for the country. However, after the departure of two people from international football, their goals, matches and trophy statistics will be discussed by football lovers for a long time.