GOAT, in terms of career achievements:
Club Career
League: Messi > Ronaldo
CL: Ronaldo > Messi
Verdict: tie
International Career
International tournament: Ronaldo > Messi
Verdict: Ronaldo
Individual honurs
Ballon D'or: Ronaldo (5) = Messi (5)
Golden Boot: Messi (5) > Ronaldo (4)
CL top scorer: Ronaldo (7) > Messi (5)
Verdict: tie
- Whoever wins more Ballon D'or will win this, regardless of everything else as its the only award which matters in GOAT discussion. Golden Boot (top league goal scorer across Europe) and CL top scorer also worth a mention. Other hundreds of individual awards (such as domestic player of year, UEFA best player of Europe, world soccer player of the year) shouldn't be counted here as the list are exhaustive and hard to compare)
Career stats
Club goals: Ronaldo (573) > Messi (552)
International goals: Ronaldo (85) > Messi (64)
Club Assists: Messi (212) > Ronaldo (180)
International assists: Messi (38) > Ronaldo (28)
Verdict: tie
Individual Records
Overall: Ronaldo (over 150) > Messi (over 110)
Verdict: Ronaldo
Trophies
League: Messi (9) > Ronaldo (5)
CL: Ronaldo (5) > Messi (4)
International major trophy: Ronaldo (1) > Messi (0)
Club World Cup: Ronaldo (4) > Messi (3)
domestic cups: Messi (6) > Ronaldo (5)
Total no. of trophies won (including super cups): Messi (32) > Ronaldo (27)
Verdict: tie
- Messi has won more trophies overall, more in league, domestic cups and super cups. Ronaldo has won more prestigious trophies, more in CL, international competition, and club world cup
Final Verdict (GOAT in terms of career achievement): Ronaldo > Messi
- They both have the same god-like stats, club career and trophies success. Ronaldo edge it for me as he has won more international tournament, and more CL, the best competition of modern games. From current standing, I also think he is more likely to will win his 6th Ballon D'or by end of the year.
GOAT, in terms of footballing:
Technical
Finishing: Tie
Long shots: Ronaldo?
Heading: Ronaldo
Dribbling: Messi
First touch: Messi
Technique: Messi
Passing: Messi
One-two: Messi
Crossing: Ronaldo?
Penalty: Ronaldo
Freekick: Tie?
Verdict: Messi
- In terms of goal scoring they are more or less the same, simply greatest ever. Messi is clearly better in dribbling, skills and passing, easily at GOAT level, Ronaldo is clearly better in heading and penalties. Messi wins for me.
Mental
Determination: Ronaldo
Leadership: Ronaldo
Big game mentality: Ronaldo
Anticipation: Tie?
Composure: Tie?
Decision: Tie?
Movement: Ronaldo
Vision: Messi
Work rate: Ronaldo
Teamwork: Messi
Verdict: Ronaldo
- Ronaldo has clearly better mental strength, more determined and driven, strive extraordinary well under pressure, which enables him having bigger impact on deciding those big games. There are also other attributes of mental aspect, such as anticipation, composure, movement, teamwork, work rate, vision and decision making etc, which I think they are more or less equal. But overall, Ronaldo wins for me.
Physical
Pace: Ronaldo?
Strength: Ronaldo
Stamina: Ronaldo
Athleticism: Ronaldo
Balance: Messi
Agility: Messi
Verdict: Ronaldo
- Ronaldo simply has better physicality and is probably one of the best ever athlete in football. Messi agility and balance is out of this world though. Ronaldo for me.
Final Verdict (GOAT in terms of footballing): Messi > Ronaldo?
- Now I don't have the definite conclusion. On paper Messi is better in terms of footballing technical, which is more eye-catching and enjoyable to watch. While Ronaldo is better in terms of mental and physical strength, which are also big part of football abilities and can also have similar impact on deciding games. Its subjective and down to personal preference. Traditionally, football technical always comes first, so one may argue Messi is better footballer.