They broke all the records but can they win a World Cup?
November 18, 2022
Top illustration: Nazario Graziano / agencyrush.com
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have defined each other’s footballing careers, legacies and worlds for over a decade.
They’ve managed to adapt to each other, scaling previously uncharted heights, but they embody different philosophies.
There’s Messi – smaller, more introverted, a natural footballing genius who shares his creativity with the team, assisting almost as much as he scores. And then there’s Ronaldo – taller, a physical specimen who works his way through defences, grafting and training until he’s simply better than anyone else on the pitch.
But despite all their accolades, none have won the World Cup. The Qatar 2022 competition could be their last chance to determine if either of them can finally lift the biggest trophy of them all.
See how star players compete, dating back to their professional debuts.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi
August 2002
Ronaldo makes his professional debut at 17 years, playing for Portuguese side Sporting Clube de Portugal.
August 2003
Wins Portugal’s first cap at 18 years old, substitute against Kazakhstan.
october 2004
To 17 years, Messi makes the first 778 appearances for Barcelona. At the time, he was the youngest to represent the club in an official match.
August 2005
Made his debut in Argentina, at 18 years old, as a substitute in a friendly against Hungary, but was sent off two minutes later.
June 2006
Scores the first of seven World Cup goals, scored across four tournaments, to become – at 21 — the youngest Portuguese player score in the World Cup.
BECOMES the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup and score in 13 minutes, becoming the sixth youngest goalscorer in tournament history.
Apr. 2007
Scores arguably his biggest goal as he flies past several Getafe defenders. One in 672 strikes for Barca.
May 2009
Inspire Barcelona to beat Ronaldo’s Manchester United in the Champions League final, his second of four titles. He finished the tournament as the top scorer.
July 2009
Joined Real Madrid from Manchester United for a then-world record $130 million costs.
Nov 2009
After inspiring Barca to three historic trophies in one season, the 22 year old becomes the first Argentine to win the Ballon d’Or.
Dec. 2009
Wins the first Puskás award for his electrifying 40 yard goal — the ball has traveled an average speed of 64 miles per hour — for Manchester United against Porto.
July 2010
Argentina eliminated from 2010 World Cup by Germany in the quarter-finals. Messi is named in the Team of the Tournament but is accused of caring more for club than country.
Apr. 2011
Time magazine names Messi as one of the most influential people in the world for the first of two consecutive years.
March 2012
To 24, he breaks Barcelona’s goalscoring record and scores a record 91 goals in the same calendar year.
Apr. 2014
Time magazine names Ronaldo among the 100 most influential people of the year.
July 2014
Argentina lost to Germany in the World Cup final. Messi wins a tournament-record four man-of-the-match awards in a single World Cup and accepts the Golden Ball for Player of the Tournament with seven goals.
Nov 2014
Messi becomes La Liga player all time top scorer after a hat-trick against Sevilla, breaking Telmo Zarra’s record of 251 goals.
The Galaxy CR7 is named after the soccer star, at the end of a season in which he enjoyed the most prolific campaign of his club career, scoring 61 times in 54 games.
October 2015
Becomes Real’s all-time top scorer with 324 goals. He ended his Madrid career with 450 goals in just 438 games.
June 2016
A Copa América Centenario quarter-final goal establishes him as Argentina’s all-time top scorer. After the defeat of the Albiceleste in the final, he announced his international retirement, a decision he returned to shortly after following the entreaties of the Argentine president.
July 2016
Wins the first major international trophy at the European Championship in France, but is taken away injured in tears after only 25 minutes of the final.
Originally sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax evasion, but escapes with $2.3 million good instead. Messi – along with his father Jorge Messi – was found guilty of defrauding Spain of $4.6 million between 2007 and 2009.
Apr. 2017
Scores a hat-trick against Bayern Munich to become the first player to score 100 Champions League goals.
March 2018
brand sound 100th goal in the Champions League, reach the milestone in fewer games than Ronaldo. Only he and Ronaldo have scored at least 100 goals in the competition so far.
May 2018
first player winning the Champions League five times. He won his first with Manchester United in 2008 before winning the competition with Real Madrid in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
June 2018
At Russia 2018, becomes first man mark in eight consecutive major international tournaments.
July 2018
At the age of 33Ronaldo signs for Italian side Juventus in report $117 million transfer agreement.
October 2018
Accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, who claims to have been paid $375,000 sign an NDA; case closed later. He denies the allegations.
July 2019
Messi sent off in the 37th minute Copa América qualifiers for third place. He refuses to accept his third-place medal and receives a three-month ban from international football and a $50,000 good.
July 2021
August 2021
Returns to Manchester United and completes his first season as a the club’s top scorer. The relationship with the team implodes after an explosive interview in November 2022.
Signs on a two years deal for French side Paris Saint-Germain, ending their long-standing association with Barca, with the Catalan club struggling financially.
September 2021
Breaks international goalscoring record with two goals against Ireland, taking his tally to 117 goals in 191 internationals and cement his status as an all-time great.
Feb. 2022
First person to reach 400 million Instagram followers.
September 2022
Record wins 164th Argentina cap and scores 90th international goal, placing him third in the all-time men’s international scoring charts.
Nov 2022
Aim to win a first World Cup after four unsuccessful attempts. If he scores, he will become the first man to score in five World Cups. He is still three goals short of overtaking Eusébio and becoming Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the competition.
Aim to win a first World Cup after four unsuccessful attempts. If he takes to the pitch in Qatar, he will enter the top flight as only three other players have already appeared in five World Cups.
