Two players that most often dominate the discussion of the greatest footballer of all time are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. A common statistic that was used in the attempt to make a comparison between these two legends is goals scored. Now let’s take a closer look at the numbers to determine who has scored more goals in their respective careers.
As an athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo is well known for his aerial prowess and powerful shot, making him one of the highest goal scorers in football history. His career records show him as a goal scorer, having played for many clubs and various international teams.
As of 2024, Ronaldo has scored over 1000 goals throughout his career, including:
Lionel Messi, who is one of the best dribblers, vision, and playmakers in football, is also an excellent goal scorer. His excellent dribbling and his unmistakable talent for scoring goals in quite unusual ways made him a star in every corner of the globe.
As of 2024, Messi has scored over 800 goals throughout his career, including:
Even though both Ronaldo and Messi have been great goal-scorers in their playing careers, Cristiano Ronaldo is leading in this front with more goals to his name. Nonetheless, Messi has thus performed not too shabbily, and the rivalry between both football geniuses is still ongoing, which simply makes football enthusiasts worldwide hold their breath. It will be interesting to see whether Messi will continue to close the gap as he continues or if Ronaldo will build on his lead even further.