Brady or Montana, Jordan or LeBron, Schumacher or Hamilton; these are just some of the many controversial but intriguing sports debates that continue to dominate our media talk shows or even simple office discussions, yet there is no sports debate that draws in more hot tempers or obscure statistics than the Messi or Ronaldo ‘GOAT’ debate.
Both the talented Argentinian magician and accomplished Portuguese freak athlete have made their presence known across the world as the two most renowned players that the sport of football has ever witnessed, beating out the likes of Diego Maradona, Pele and Zinedine Zidane as the greatest names to represent the sport of football/soccer in the opinion of many.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have combined for a sublime total of 1,806 goals in all competitions, 642 assists, 13 Ballon d’Or’s as well as numerous domestic and international honors which has firmly placed the two superstar talents into the record books with many fans still hotly debating as to which outstanding athlete is the better footballer.
After dominating the European football scene for decades, with Ronaldo making for himself at the likes of Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, while Messi quickly became a global icon due to his tenure with Barcelona and his short stint with PSG, both stars made the daring decisions to depart from Europe and venture across the globe to two different leagues in what may surely be the twilight years of their glorious careers.
In spite of Messi and Ronaldo now playing in completely different continents, fans continue to debate the impact that both players’ have brought towards their new teams and how their play has impacted their league in general with many fans still claiming that the two icons could still play at the very top level late into their 30s and potentially early 40s.
For fans interested in how both Messi and Ronaldo have settled into life in their new homes, here is a quick breakdown on their stats, individual performances, team rankings and accolades that the two stars continue to rack up even at such a late stage of their careers.
- Lionel Messi’s takeover of the MLS:
Following his FIFA World Cup heroics in 2022 that saw the Argentine lift the one major trophy that had continued to elude him, Messi would later join recently established MLS side Inter Milan CF who are partly owned by fellow footballing great David Beckham.
Since arriving, Messi has continued to dazzle fans and showcased that he has still got plenty of amazing tricks in his locker that has left defenders helpless against Miami in every game.
With the 2025 MLS season still ongoing, Inter Miami rank as the outright favorites to win the MLS Cup this season at 9/2 in the latest football betting odds, with the league itself working slightly differently when deciding who wins the title as the standings are split across the East and Western regions of America with higher seeded teams then entering a playoff bracket.
Despite the change of scenery, Messi is still playing at his best and also flanked by several familiar names such as his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and team coach Javier Mascherano who themselves are also in the veteran stages of their prestigious careers.
Messi was named MLS MVP last season and even won his record eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023 whilst so far claiming a total of 35 goals in 40 league games as he now aims to bring Inter Miami their first major silverware this year.
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s dominate Saudi reign:
Its no secret to the sporting world that the Saudi Super League has recently become a hotbed of major spending in the transfer market to bring some of football’s greatest and most recognizable names to the Middle East.
However, Al-Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo was without question the biggest acquisition of them all with the Saudi giants already getting an instant return on their hefty investment as CR7 has continued to prove all the doubters wrong and stave off any worries about the ravages of age that could affect his longevity at the top level.
After joining in 2023, Ronaldo has racked up a staggering total of 74 goals in 77 league games as well as helping Al-Nassr claim the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, with the Portuguese sensation proving that he still has plenty of incredible years left with back-to-back Saudi Pro League Golden Boot awards in 2024 and 2025.
Both Messi and Ronaldo are expected to appear at the 2026 FIFA World Cup set in the USA, Mexico and Canada with this likely being their final ever international tournament where both players will represent their respective countries.
While many fans still love to bicker about who they believe is truly the ‘GOAT’, there is no denying the impact that both stars have had on the game of football and sport in general with their legacies now being well cemented and ones that may never be met or surpassed by the next wave of generational football talents.
