930
TOTAL GOALSCareer
FOOTBALL / PLAYER COMPARISONUpdated
Messi vs Ronaldo
Career goals, assists and trophies. Choose a competition. Compare the records.
Updated 21 September 2026Sources & definitions
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
Career statistics
Leads this statBoth starred = tiedLower minutes per goal is better
| LIONEL MESSI | CAREER | CRISTIANO RONALDO |
|---|---|---|
930 | 979 | |
424 | 261 | |
1,176 | 1,337 | |
96,747 | 109,295 | |
1,354 | 1,240 | |
0.79 | 0.73 | |
0.87 | 0.81 | |
1.26 | 1.02 | |
104.0 | 111.6 |
Select a statistic to see its definition and source.How we count
Senior competitive club games and senior internationals, including A-international friendlies. Club friendlies, youth games and shootouts excluded. Statistics cover the stated period; overlapping categories should not be added together.
READING THE DATA
In this career overview comparison, Messi has 930 goals and 424 assists in 1176 appearances. Ronaldo has 979 goals and 261 assists in 1337 appearances. Updated 21 September 2026. Senior competitive club games and senior internationals, including A-international friendlies. Club friendlies, youth games and shootouts excluded.
Club & country this calendar year
Current club goalsMessi101Ronaldo132Inter Miami / Al Nassr
Goals to reach 1,000Messi70Ronaldo21Career totals through 21 September 2026
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Ballon d’Or wins
Men’s awards · 2008–2025
MessiRonaldo
View data & source
| Year | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 |
| 2012 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | 4 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 | 3 |
| 2016 | 5 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5 | 5 |
| 2019 | 6 | 5 |
| 2020 (cancelled) | 6 | 5 |
| 2021 | 7 | 5 |
| 2022 | 7 | 5 |
| 2023 | 8 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 | 5 |
| 2025 | 8 | 5 |
Compare by competition
All comparisonsAnalysis & explainers
All articlesAn assist isn’t always an assist.
Why two trusted sources can give you two different answers — and how to compare fairly.
Read articleMore goals. Or more goals per game?
Career totals and scoring rates tell different parts of the same remarkable story.
Read articleWhat counts as a career goal?
Friendlies, shootouts and youth football: the small print behind a very big number.
Read articleMessi vs Ronaldo: goals, assists and trophies
Compare Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo across their careers, clubs and national teams. The published figures below run through . Each competition has its own boundary and supporting sources.
Who has scored more career goals?
Messi has 930 career goals and Ronaldo has 979. These totals include senior competitive club matches and recognized senior internationals. Club friendlies, youth matches and penalty shootouts are excluded. Explore the full goals comparison.
How do their assists compare?
The career comparison records 424 assists for Messi and 261 for Ronaldo. Assist definitions differ between providers, so compare totals using the same source and scope. See assists, goal contributions and counting rules.
How are team trophies and individual awards counted?
Team trophies are listed by competition, with youth, Olympic and conference titles identified. Ballon d’Or awards are shown separately. Compare the complete trophy cabinet.
Does a higher total settle who is better?
A total answers one question. Playing time, competition, role and the length of each career add context. Use total goals alongside appearances and per-90 rates, or explore matches in which both players appeared. Our methodology explains the limits and sources.