Cristiano gives no respite to Messi

June 8, 2025 will go down as the day Cristiano Ronaldo added yet another brilliant chapter to his legendary football career.

By lifting his third trophy with the Seleção das Quinas, the Portuguese striker celebrated both his 938th career goal and a second UEFA Nations League title for Portugal – all at the age of 40.

CR7 remains a symbol of greatness, and alongside Lionel Messi, has dominated global football for nearly a decade. No star has come close to challenging their claim to being the best in the world.

Still, the debate over who deserves to be ranked higher only intensifies with moments like Sunday’s final – when the former Real Madrid star scored the winning goal for Portugal and extended his lead over Messi in goals scored to 73.

They’re two years apart in age, and with Messi’s 38th birthday just around the corner, it’s hard not to wonder – however illogical it may sound – whether the World Cup winner is starting to fall short.

Cristiano’s edge

In footballing terms, two years is an eternity. Anything can happen – and Cristiano’s 938-goal haul makes that difference count.

He made his professional debut at 18 under Luiz Felipe Scolari in August 2003, while Messi played his first game with Argentina in 2005 – also at 18.

Between 2003 and 2005, CR7 scored 9 goals for Portugal across World Cup qualifiers, international friendlies and Euro 2004.

At club level, his early years at Sporting Lisbon (2002–03) saw him net 7 goals, and in the 2004–05 season at Manchester United, he scored 13.

In total, Cristiano had already scored 29 goals for club and country by the time Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005.

That year is a key reference point: not only was it when José Pékerman handed Messi his first cap, it also marked his first goal for Barcelona, after appearing in seven La Liga matches by April.

Ronaldo: older, but still outscoring

Despite being two years older, the Commander has kept up his goal-scoring rhythm. Since turning 38 – the age Messi is about to reach – Cristiano has scored 16 goals for his clubs, including Manchester United and his current team, Al Nassr.

But it’s with the national team that he has made the biggest impact over the past two years: 20 goals across European Qualifiers, Euro 2024, and the Nations League, even though he was rarely named in Portugal’s starting XI last year.

And in that same period, Cristiano became the first player to win two UEFA Nations League titles.

Lionel Andrés Messi has also added to his legacy between 2023 and 2025: he won the Copa América again with Scaloni’s Argentina last year, claimed the MLS Golden Boot with 20 goals for Inter Miami in the 2023/24 season, and of course, secured his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.

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