Messi vs Ronaldo: comparative statistics of football icons for 2024
Liam Carter
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
In 2024, the legendary names of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo remained constant fixtures in sports headlines. Although their fierce rivalry for global football supremacy is a thing of the past, they continue to be among the most celebrated figures in sports.
Messi played 25 matches in all competitions for Inter Miami in 2024, scoring 23 goals and providing 13 assists. Meanwhile, Ronaldo netted 36 goals and delivered 5 assists in 39 games for Al-Nassr.
It’s worth noting that Ronaldo accumulated more total minutes for both club and country (4,441) compared to Messi’s 2,895. However, Messi required slightly less time to score a goal: 99.8 minutes per goal versus Ronaldo's 103.3 minutes.
Messi recorded two hat-tricks, while Ronaldo achieved three. Additionally, Messi maintained a perfect penalty conversion rate (100%), a feat Ronaldo could not match, with an 81.8% success rate from the spot.
Here’s a breakdown of their performance by competition:
- Domestic leagues:
Messi: 19 matches, 20 goals, 10 assists
Ronaldo: 25 matches, 25 goals, 4 assists
- Domestic cup competitions:
Messi: Did not play
Ronaldo: 3 matches, 2 goals
- International club competitions:
Messi: 3 matches, 2 goals, 2 assists
Ronaldo: 8 matches, 7 goals
- Total for club and national teams:
Messi: 36 matches, 2,895 minutes, 29 goals, 18 assists
Ronaldo: 51 matches, 4,441 minutes, 43 goals, 7 assists
