For the best part of 15 years, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated European football, Messi mostly for Barcelona, with Ronaldo doing it for Manchester United, Juventus and, of course, Real Madrid. Besides just an array of club and individual honours the pair won, they were also in the business of scoring bucket loads of goals - with the two netting a combined total of 119 goals in the 2014/15 season. That season, the Portuguese international bagged a total of 61 goals across all competitions, with Messi netting a respectable 58.

Their stats have been equally impressive since they both left Europe, with Ronaldo joining Al-Nassr in 2022 and Messi making his Inter Miami the following year in 2023. The direct comparison of what each has achieved with their new clubs outside of Europe, is slightly unfair, as at present Ronaldo has played 64 games for Al-Nassr and scored an impressive 58 goals. While in the US, Messi has played far fewer games for Inter Miami, with 29 appearances, but again with an very commendable 25 goals. It's difficult to tell how much longer these greats will grace the game, so perhaps it is a good opportunity to assess how they are doing in different continents in the MLS and the Saudi Pro League.

Club Statistics

Ronaldo tops scoring, Messi has more assists

In more recent years, both players have started to move less - that is, they're not in the business of covering every blade of grass. This isn't necessarily the weakness that it may sound like, especially in Messi's case. His advice to fellow Inter Miami players? Walk more. Not at home, but actually in games. Messi's thinking is that by walking in matches you get to see more and better anaylse opponents' movements. Messi practiced what he preached during Argentina's World Cup win in Qatar in 2022. Fans may recall the footage of him in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands, when he did exactly this.

Ronaldo's blood and thunder approach to the game has been refined somewhat, whereby he maintains a position between the lines of the penalty area. What hasn't changed is his insatiable appetite for goals. One statistic that jumps out is Messi having one more assist than Ronaldo, despite playing 35 fewer games than his old rival to achieve this. By the same token, the Saudi Pro League didn't bring in a marquee player like Ronaldo to go tracking back on the flanks. He is there to be the jewel in the crown and seems more than happy to play that role.

Verdict

Very little to separate the pair

As difficult as it is to choose between the two at any stage in their career, it is no less difficult to do so at their new clubs in Saudi Arabia and the USA. They continue to have significant influence on the field, with an exceptional high goals to games ratio. Yes, Ronaldo seems less inclined to create goals, perhaps fully aware of the sands of time, with him turning 40 in 2025, yet he is no doubt eyeing up the possibility of scoring 800 career club goals. At present, he is just 41 goals shy of that and Al-Nassr hope to keep him until 2026.

While Messi, perhaps not as manically driven for individual accolades as his rival, but why would he be when his talent delivers them anyway. Since playing in the US, he has added a further international trophy to his name - although he didn't last the 90 minutes, Argentina won the 2024 Copa America. Now free of the burden of being compared to Diego Maradona since winning the 2022 World Cup, the Argentine is free to simply enjoy playing. So, when even an analysis of Ronaldo and Messi over the last season doesn't clearly indicate who has had more of an impact, picking the dominant force between the two comes back to personal preference.