Although they are nearing the end of their professional career at the highest level, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still the most famous footballers in the world.
In addition to their impressive standing at the top of the sport, both players enjoyed fruitful campaigns in the 2021-22 season, proving that they can still perform at the top.
Ronaldo-Messi: How do the statistics, goals and assists compare in 2021/22?
Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United in order to play football in the Champions League, something the Red Devils were unable to provide after their worst result in the history of the Premier League last season. However, Ronaldo is still a Manchester United player, with Erik ten Hag keen to keep him in the squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo at Paris Saint-Germain: goals, assists, results and matches in 2022-23
Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain: goals, assists, results and matches in 2022-23
On the other hand, Messi enjoyed a more comfortable summer in 2022 than he did in 2021, with the Argentine staying at PSG rather than transferring clubs as he did in 2021. The Barcelona legend left the Camp Nou on a free transfer after that. He could not afford to renew his contract.
Although they both left La Liga and no longer play in the same domestic league, Ronaldo and Messi are still often compared, with their fans arguing religiously over who is the greatest of all time.
Here’s how their records compare in 2022-23:
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | 2 | 3 |
| Minutes | 127 | 270 |
| Objectives | 0 | 3 |
| helps | 0 | 1 |
Ronaldo-Messi: Who scored the most goals in 2022-23?
Messi has currently scored more goals than Ronaldo in the 2022-23 season. The Paris Saint-Germain star has scored four goals in five matches in all competitions, while Ronaldo has yet to score this campaign.
Ronaldo missed almost the entirety of pre-season after asking to leave Manchester United, meaning he did not start in the Premier League’s opening game against Brighton and Hove Albion.
With Manchester United losing 2-0 at the end of the first half, Ronaldo was shifted to the bench in the second half, but was unable to score as Tin Hag lost his first competitive match as head coach of Manchester United.
Ronaldo started the next game away in Brentford and played the full 90 minutes as Manchester United were embarrassed 4-0 in London.
The 37-year-old played 26 minutes together in United’s two-time win over Liverpool and Southampton, repeatedly.
Messi scored his first goal of the 2022-23 season in his first game of the season – a 4-0 win over Nantes in the Champions Cup. After a skewed through ball from Neymar found the Argentine, Messi turned the goalkeeper and passed it to the open net with his weaker right foot.
In the opening match of the French Ligue 1 Messi scored two goals against Claremont Foot to start the Ligue 1 season. With PSG leading 3-0 with the clock closing in at 80 minutes, Messi stepped forward, along with Neymar before hitting the ball into the far corner with his left foot.
Just six minutes later, Messi lunged back and was picked up by a beautiful pass by Leandro Paredes. Facing his goal, Messi controlled the ball with his chest before producing an infamous bicycle kick that passed over Mori Diao to make it 5-0.
Messi did not contribute a goal to the 5-2 win over Montpellier, but he scored and assisted in the next 7-0 win over Lille.
He did not add to his tally in Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-1 draw with Monaco.
Ronaldo-Messi: Who made the most in 2022-23
Messi is currently leading the assists total against Ronaldo, with assists given to the Portuguese player zero.
In the same match in which he opened his Ligue 1 goals tally, Messi scored his first assists of the season. Just eight minutes into the match against Claremont Foot, Messi opened his foot and gently bounced Pablo Sarabia’s cross past Neymar, who finished in the bottom corner.
His second assist came in the 7-1 win over Lille, in which he also scored.
Ronaldo-Messi: Who scored goals and made more in 2021-22?
The 2021-22 season was Ronaldo’s first year at Manchester United and Messi’s first ever professional campaign away from Barcelona following his free move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo-Messi: How do the statistics, goals and assists compare in 2021/22?
With the players in new environments, it was Ronaldo who adapted faster, scoring 24 goals in all competitions, while Messi scored only 11, however, the Argentine star was much more productive when it came to assists. He scored 14 assists, while Ronaldo managed only three assists.
In total, Ronaldo performed better as he scored 27 goals and assists in all competitions, while Messi managed to score 25 goals.
