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BREAKING THE MYTHWhy Messi is better than Ronaldo on the international stage:
1. Individual honors:Messi:
World Cup 14 Golden Ball
Copa 15 Golden Ball
Copa 07 Best young player
U20 WC 05 Golden Ball
U20 WC 05 Golden Boot
Ronaldo:
Euro 16 Silver Boot
I think this shows Messi's individual brilliance in comparison to Ronaldo's.
2. Their best performance in an international tournament:
Messi - Copa 16:
Mins
Goals
Assists
Mins p/ G/A
MOTM
.
Rating
Cristiano - Euro 16:
Mins
Goals
2. Their best performance in an international tournament:Messi - Copa 16:
Mins Goals Assists Mins p/ G/A MOTM. RatingCristiano - Euro 16:
Mins Goals
Assists Mins p/ G/A MOTM
. RatingClearly, Messi has better stats.
3. Most goals against (current world ranking) :Messi:
Brazil (3) Uruguay (5) Paraguay (41) Venezuela (25) Ecuador (63)Ronaldo:
Lithuania (131) Sweden (17)
Andorra (135) Armenia (102) Latvia (137) Luxembourg (98)Speaks for itself.
4. The number of teams they have played more than twice without scoring:Messi -
Ronaldo -
ALB
- 5 gamesFRA
- 4 gamesGER
-4 gamesBRA
-3 gamesENG
-3 games
This shows Ronaldo's struggles vs top teams.
5. I always hear "Messi only scores in friendlies".
Firstly, Copa America does not have qualifiers like Euros do.
Euro qualifiers have added 35 'competitive' games for Cristiano against much easier opponents.
5. I always hear "Messi only scores in friendlies".Firstly, Copa America does not have qualifiers like Euros do.
Euro qualifiers have added 35 'competitive' games for Cristiano against much easier opponents.
Outside of Euro qualifiers, Ronaldo scores 0.52 goals per game.
In Euro qualifiers, he scores 0.88 goals per game.
This shows that his goal record benefits largely from Euro qualifiers and the weaker teams that he gets to play.
In Euro qualifiers, he scores 0.88 goals per game.
This shows that his goal record benefits largely from Euro qualifiers and the weaker teams that he gets to play.
Secondly, aside from Euro qualifiers, Ronaldo plays a similar level of opponent in the WC qualifiers.
If we now split Ronaldo's goals into Euro qualifiers, WC qualifiers, and all other games:
Euro qualifiers = 0.88 per game
WC qualifiers = 0.79 per game
Others = 0.41per game
If we now split Ronaldo's goals into Euro qualifiers, WC qualifiers, and all other games:
Euro qualifiers = 0.88 per game
WC qualifiers = 0.79 per game
Others = 0.41per game
A clear difference.
Messi has scored a lot in friendlies - Brazil hattrick being the most prominent example.
Friendly win vs Brazil Flag of Brazil =
Ranking points
Euro draw vs Hungary Flag of Hungary =
points
Messi has scored a lot in friendlies - Brazil hattrick being the most prominent example.
Friendly win vs Brazil Flag of Brazil =
Ranking pointsEuro draw vs Hungary Flag of Hungary =
points
Euro qualifier win v Andorra Flag of Andorra =
points
FIFA rate the Brazil win the tougher of all 3 others.
6. KO goals in major tournaments:
Messi :
Goals
-2x semi
-2x quarter-final
Assists
-5x semi
-4x quarter-final
-3x RO16
-1x 3rd place play-off
pointsFIFA rate the Brazil win the tougher of all 3 others.
6. KO goals in major tournaments:Messi :
Goals-2x semi
-2x quarter-final
Assists-5x semi
-4x quarter-final
-3x RO16
-1x 3rd place play-off
CR :
Goals [ 6 including UNL]
-2x semi
-1x quarter-final
Assists [4 including UNL]
-2x semi
-1x quarter-final
Clearly, Messi reigns supreme at this level.
Goals [ 6 including UNL]-2x semi
-1x quarter-final
Assists [4 including UNL]-2x semi
-1x quarter-final
Clearly, Messi reigns supreme at this level.
7. Lastly a contentious issue - Average Rating (whoscored):Alone it doesn't mean much, but with everything else in this thread, it is telling.
Since 09/10 for their country in Major tournaments:
Messi: -
.Ronaldo: -
.Again a huge difference.
8. International Records and awards:Ronaldo:
1 of only 4 players to score in different WC.Oldest player to score a WC hattrick33 Years and 130 days.
Most national teams scored against - Most goals scored in European World Cup Qualifiers: 30 goals
Most caps for Portugal: 165 capsPortugal all-time top scorer: 101 goalsPortugal all-time top scorer in UEFA Euro matches: 9 goalsMost matches played in UEFA European Championship finals: 21 matches.Most matches played in World Cup finals: 17 matches.
Youngest player to reach 100 caps: 27 years, 8 months and 11 days.Only player to score for Portugal in 4 different World Cups.Euro 16 Silver Boot.[*I will add any other international record you remember]
Messi:
Argentina's all-time top goalscorer: 70 goals.
Top goalscorer for Argentina in a calendar year: 12 goals in 2012 (shared with Gabriel Batistuta).Only Argentina player to score against every CONMEBOL nation.Youngest player to play for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup: 18 years, 357 days in 2006.
Youngest player to score for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup: 18 years, 357 days in 2006.Youngest player to reach 100 caps for a country under CONMEBOL's jurisdiction: 27 years, 361 days in 2015.Top assist provider in Copa América: 12 assists.
Most goals in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers: 21 goals (shared with Luis Suárez).Most goals scored in one FIFA World Cup qualification for Argentina: 10.Most goals scored by a substitute in a Copa América match: 3.
Most goals scored in all U-20 international competitions, including friendlies: 18.Most goals scored in official U-20 international competitions: 11.Most direct free-kick goals scored for Argentina: 6 (against Paraguay, Uruguay, Nigeria, Panama, USA, Colombia)
Most hat-tricks scored for Argentina: 6 (against Switzerland, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Haiti)Most assists provided for Argentina: 42.Most Man of the Match awards won in one FIFA World Cup: 4 (2014).[shared with Sneijder,2010]
Most Man of the Match awards won in all FIFA World Cup matches for Argentina: 5.Most Man of the Match awards won in one Copa América: 4 (2015).Most Man of the Match awards won in Copa América's history: 10.
Messi has the record for most Argentine Footballer of the Year awards: 11 (2005, 2007-13, 2015-17).The youngest player that have ever captained the team at FIFA World Cup tournament: 22 years and 363 days old in 2010 against Greece.
Only player in the history of football to give 20(most) assists in major international tournaments.The only player to score at WC in teens, 20's and 30's.The only player to assist at least once in 4 WCs.Most WC dribbles ever -110
Lionel Messi is the only footballer in recorded history to score AND assist in SEVEN major international tournaments.Lionel Messi has the Most Goal contribution (35) in the World Cup and EURO/Copa America history followed by Ronaldo Nazário (32).
Messi holds the record of scoring the Fastest Hattrick as a substitute in Copa America tournament's history: 19 minutes (2016).Lionel Messi won the man of the tournament (golden ball) in each international competition (at least once)he played in.
U-20 world cup Golden Ball (2005). Olympic gold(2008).Copa America Golden Ball (2015 and he refused to take in 2016).World cup Golden Ball(2014).
Here are some old stats I prepared for this debate
