Messi and Cristiano. Cristiano and Messi. Fate bound the fate of these two boys because of their excellent talent for soccer. For more than a decade, Rosario and Madeira have dominated world football away from home. One always from Barcelona, the other from Manchester, Madrid and now, Turin.
The trophies crowd in their cabinets and also the records. Under this argument, fans, press and professionals even discuss who is better in a debate that had a start date but in which there is no end in sight. Both races have their lights and even their shadows and they will always be in eternal comparison. These have gone in parallel but some differences give Cristiano up to seven records that, at 33 years old, seem difficult for Messi to achieve and that Sportskeeda compiles.
Score in the Champions League final with two different clubs
An unappealable header in 2008, the penalty that closed the comeback in 2014 and a double with two first-touch definitions in 2017. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in up to three Champions League finals but he has also achieved it with two different clubs: Manchester United and Real Madrid. Messi scored in 2009, against Cristiano, and 2011 but always with Barcelona. With his future in question, he would still be in time to match this record if he finally leaves Barcelona.
Win the three major European leagues
The first was the Premier, then LaLiga and finally, continue to wear the 'Scudetto' on the chest of his Juve shirt after revalidating the title. Cristiano Ronaldo has won in England, Spain and Italy, collecting seven cups from three different countries (three English, two Spanish and two Italian). The Argentine, yes, can boast of having dominated his by collecting up to 10 trophies. For Messi to leave different clubs twice and win two leagues in these two countries already seems complicated.
Win with your selection
While the national team has been a story of love and heartbreak for Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is enjoying more of his international career. In addition, the one from Madeira has obtained titles for his country with Euro 2016 as a great feat and the revalidation of his reign with the first edition of the League of Nations. Messi was close to bringing a title to his homeland but has not had luck in the finals with the albiceleste, in the World Cup or in the Copa América.
More than fifty goals during six seasons
From September 2010 to June 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo maintained a totally obsessive scoring level. With the average tending to one, the Portuguese closed a six-season journey scoring at least fifty goals: 53 in 10-11, 60 in 11-12, 55 in 12-13, 51 in 13-14 , 61 on 14-15 and 51 on 15-16. Messi has reached those figures and even reached 73 goals in 11-12 but it should be noted that he did not maintain the level so constant for so many seasons.
Goal king in Europe
These six seasons served him, in part, to become even one more the top scorer in the Champions League in a row. The Portuguese was the one who sent the ball the most times to the back of the net during seven seasons: from 12-13 to 17-18. Some records that Messi left in three seasons. Now, I would have to restart and time is short to reach 7 here.
And more than 60 in four calendar years
As calculated in Sportskeeda, from 2011 to 2014, as calendar years, Cristiano Ronaldo scored up to 60 goals, a difficult figure to achieve and that he surpassed during an 'Olympic cycle'. Messi reached 91 in 2012, an outrage, but he stayed close to the record by overcoming 60 from 2010 to the aforementioned year in which he touched a hundred.
The UEFA eleven with different shirts
Cristiano and Messi have always been fixed players in the eleven of the year for UEFA but while Rosario's always entered with Barcelona, Cristiano did so with United, Real Madrid and also with Juventus. Winning the Champions League with the Bianconeri is his great pending account and another record that could bring out the Argentine, whom he surpasses in European Cups.