After Lionel Messi won the World Cup last year, there may have been a definitive resolution to the argument about who is better, him or Cristiano Ronaldo. Nevertheless, we’ve compared the two absurdly piled trophy chests in case you need further persuasion.
Without a doubt, the two best players of their generation are Messi and Ronaldo. They have combined for almost 1500 goals in their careers and several amazing talent or game-winning performances.
In addition, they have won two senior international tournament championships, nine Champions Leagues, seventeen domestic league titles, and several additional team and individual honours.
Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or, setting a new record, after helping PSG win Ligue 1 in 2022-2023 and going on to win FIFA’s “Best” award. This came just after his exploits at the World Cup.
The two titans of a bygone period are now nearing the end of their careers in Saudi Arabia and the United States, respectively, and they have unavoidably won additional awards.
Messi and Ronaldo would usually rather not stir up controversy, but there are plenty of those who would want to argue for one player over the other. It seems like they are completely at ease with one another.
In 2014, Ronaldo told Marca, “We’re colleagues.” We consider ourselves to be work buddies; therefore, it goes without saying that we are not romantically involved with any other football players or with anybody else outside of the game.
There is some competitiveness between us as we both strive to give our all for the teams we represent, and he shares my desire to give his all for both his club and his country. This competition is a wonderful thing; therefore, we should see it positively.
Messi told FM Club 947 in 2018 when Ronaldo transferred from Real Madrid to Juventus: “Although it was a bit difficult to see him win trophies, he gave La Liga prestige.”
But which of them has a bigger assortment of cutlery? We’ve broken down the awards they’ve received individually as well as those they’ve received while playing for their various clubs and national teams.
Note: We have counted the award as a Ballon d’Or during the years when the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or were combined. Additionally, we have only listed individual categories for which players in any European league are eligible, leaving out top scorer and tournament-specific prizes.
Lionel Messi
Team
Domestic
La Liga: 10 (2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19)
Ligue 1: 2 (2021-22, 2022-23)
Copa Del Rey: 7 (2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21)
Spanish Super Cup: 8 (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019)
Trophee des Champions: 1 (2022)
Continental
Champions League: 4 (2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15)
Leagues Cup x 1 (2023)
UEFA Super Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)
Other
FIFA Club World Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)
International
World Cup: 1 (2022)
Copa America: 1 (2021)
Olympics: 1 (2008)
Total: 42
Individual
Ballon d’Or: 8 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023)
FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 4 (2009, 2019, 2022, 2023)
UEFA Best Player in Europe: 2 (2011, 2015)
Total: 14
Cristiano Ronaldo
Team
Domestic
Premier League: 3 (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09)
La Liga: 2 (2011-12, 2016-17)
Serie A: 2 (2018–19, 2019–20)
English League Cup: 2 (2005–06, 2008–09)
FA Cup: 1 (2003–04)
Copa Del Rey: 2 (2010-11, 2013-14)
Coppa Italia: 1 (2020–21)
Portuguese Super Cup: 1 (2002)
Community Shield: 1 (2007)
Spanish Super Cup: 2 (2013, 2018)
Italian Super Cup: 2 (2019, 2021)
Continental
Champions League: 5 (2007-08, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18)
UEFA Super Cup: 2 (2014, 2017)
Arab Club Champions Cup (2023)
Other
FIFA Club World Cup: 4 (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017)
International
UEFA European Championship: 1 (2016)
UEFA Nations League: 1 (2019)
Total: 33
Individual
Ballon d’Or: 5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 3 (2008, 2016, 2017)
UEFA Best Player in Europe: 3 (2014, 2016, 2017)
Total: 11
