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One-half of the GOAT debate gets an extra string to their bow with the revelation of a key stat.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are involved in what is probably the greatest sporting rivalry. Given that they compete in the same era, their milestones and achievements are stacked up against themselves in real-time.
The pair have had unprecedented success in their club careers, reaching never-before-seen heights and leaving no room for doubt. Their international careers, however, were modest for most of their prime, at least when compared to the standards they have set playing for their respective clubs.
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Messi thanks teammate for saving him after missing penalty in Argentina vs Ecuador
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Messi and Ronaldo at international level
Up until the Copa America in 2021, Messi had yet to win a single senior major trophy with the Albiceleste, despite having won four Champions League titles already with Barcelona.
He had also only shone at one World Cup since his debut in 2006—the 2014 edition, in which he led Argentina to the final before losing to Germany. He failed to score in 2010. And in 2018, they got knocked out in the round of 16 after barely scraping past the group stage.
Since 2021, however, Messi has gone on to win the Copa America and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in which he was named the best player—for the second time at a World Cup.
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Ronaldo, on the other hand, announced himself to the world at Euro 2004, scoring twice and assisting twice as a teenager.
However, he had to wait until 2016 to get his first taste of silverware with his country. Despite Portugal reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup, 21-year-old Ronaldo managed one goal.
Before the World Cup in Qatar, where they reached the quarter-finals, Ronaldo crashed out in the round of 16 (2010, 2018) and the group stage (2014).
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The Euro win in 2016 was also Portugal's first in their history, cementing Ronaldo's legacy with the Selecao. Three years later, they won the maiden UEFA Nations League.
Who has been better? (Key stat reveals)
Messi and Ronaldo are both the leading scorers in their respective confederations. No South American player has scored as much as Messi's 108 Argentine goals for their country, nor has a European, or any player for that matter, scored as many as Ronaldo’s 130 international goals.
By trophies, Messi has undoubtedly had it better. They do not come better than the World Cup, and he has matched Ronaldo's Euros triumph with that Copa America win.
Individually, it is easy to jump the gun and name Ronaldo as having the upper hand, given his record as the top-scoring international footballer of all time. However, some goals are worth more than others, and key stats reveal that Messi has managed to score more when it mattered more—the knock-out stages of international tournaments.
The knockout rounds of any competition are the most highly pressurised, given that all margins for error are wiped out. One can argue the pressure is even more intense in the knockout phase of international tournaments, given the stakes and prestige.
Following Portugal’s exit from the European Championships last night and Ronaldo's failure to register a single goal in the competition, Stats Muse released a sensational statistic, comparing Messi and the Portuguese’s exploits in the knockout round of international tournaments.
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