In this article we will examine the difference between Ronaldo and Messi. After both had an injury-free Champions League campaign, both have stepped up in the knockout stage of the competition. And we will also look at United’s Lewandowski and Liverpool’s Messi. Both have been effective at the back, but who has been the more productive in front of goal? Here we’ll compare both players’ statistics and find out which one has a slight edge.
Ronaldo
Despite their difference in age, Ronaldo and Messi have similar stats and impressive performances. The Portuguese player has one more Champions League title to his credit than Messi, who has two. Both players have a lot of goals to their names, but Messi has been more prolific. He has scored 102 goals in 168 games for Portugal, while Messi has 71 in 141 for Argentina.
Both players have scored more goals in the UCL. Ronaldo leads the tournament with 140 goals, but he only has four in the six UCL finals. Messi, on the other hand, has scored 49 goals in the knockout rounds. Moreover, both have played more UCL finals than Ronaldo. But if the two players were to compare their individual stats, Messi would be the better player in every single category.
When comparing Ronaldo and Messi’s stats in the Champions League, we can say that Messi is the better player overall. However, Ronaldo’s passing skills are not legendary. Although Messi is a better passer, Ronaldo’s goal scoring potential is far greater. Besides, Messi is a better ball distributor. And while Messi has more speed, Ronaldo has more IQ than Messi.
Among all the other statistics, Messi has more gold in his pocket. He won four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards and the FIFA 2014 World Cup. He has won every major football award in his career, and he was close to winning the World Cup last year. However, the two players are equally excellent when it comes to making key passes. Messi has made 270 key passes in 123 Champions League games, while Ronaldo has made 213 in 131.
In the Champions League, Ronaldo and Messi are equal in goals scored in knockout stages. Messi has scored in seven of eight finals, while Ronaldo has three. He is the best player in this competition, but the competition is very tough. He has also helped Barcelona to win four Champions League titles. Messi also has more knockout goals, but the odds are that both will win it.
Messi
Despite their striking similarities, Ronaldo and Messi are two polar opposites in many ways. For example, Messi has scored more goals than Ronaldo, and he is the more accurate of the two players. At the same time, Ronaldo is better at long-range shots than Messi, but they are still very different players. In this comparison, I’ll look at two stats that will help you decide who is better.
Lionel Messi has been more prolific in recent years. He has scored more goals than Ronaldo in the past few seasons, with six97 goals in seventy-one games. His ratio is 0.88, and he has a higher xG (xG) score, indicating his superior ability to finish. Both players have been able to score more goals than their opponents, but Messi is the better player in the UCL.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice in an away match against Atletico Madrid in the UCL. The Frenchman is the first player to score twice in a UCL match. During his time with Atletico, he became the first player to score twice in a single game, and he was sent off in the process. After being a Chelsea player for 11 years, Giroud has already won the World Cup and the Champions League.
Lionel Messi is a footballer who has been with the same club for his entire career. He holds nearly every individual La Liga record. His unique talents include his otherworldly close control, his nimble footwork, his vision on the ball, and his accuracy in front of the goal. The only difference between the two is that Messi has more experience. Moreover, Messi is an excellent free-kick specialist.
In terms of physical attributes, Messi is much faster and agile than Ronaldo. His body structure helps him change pace quickly and keep momentum without losing any momentum. This has helped him get past many defenders, which is very useful in modern football. Both players have similar skill levels, but the difference between the two is that Messi is more athletic. But Ronaldo is better at leadership and passing the ball.
Lewandowski
Whether Lewandowski is the better player in the UCL comes down to individual skill and the level of team play. The German international is a formidable all-round player who thrives in physical combat. His body size and physicality are much improved than when he arrived in Dortmund in 2010. In the month of December, he beat PSG to welcome the new year. He has now scored 22 goals in 15 games against his former employers in the Bundesliga. The German striker celebrates every victory against his old club.
Robert Lewandowski had a stunning season with Bayern Munich. He scored 40 goals in 28 Bundesliga games and five goals in six Champions League games. Although he missed the final against Paris Saint-Germain, Lewandowski’s performance at Bayern is something to behold. Bayern coach Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes that Lewandowski is Bayern’s best striker. Lewandowski also won the FIFA Award for the Best Men’s Player.
Although Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time winner of the Champions League, Lewandowski is a more prolific goalscorer than Messi. He has scored 81 goals in the Europe’s top competition. That’s more than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi have managed at the same stage of their careers. He has also been able to steal the limelight from Ronaldo, albeit for a short while.
As far as individual accolades go, Lewandowski is a more valuable player in the UCL, and is the better player overall. Although De Bruyne, Kante, and Ronaldo are all exceptional players, Lewandowski has achieved the highest level of success in a single season. If they haven’t reached the UCL final, both have a long way to go.
The debate on which player is the best individual footballer is a bit dated. Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time, but his team structure and mentality are not as effective as Messi’s. Ronaldo’s game structure is better than Lewandowski’s, but the latter is the better all-around player. Both players are equally great and deserve their spot in the UCL.
United’s Lewandowski
Despite the fact that both players have scored a total of 155 goals in their UEFA Champions League careers, there is a clear difference between them when it comes to scoring rates. Lewandowski has a higher strike rate, having netted 85 goals in his Champions League career, compared to Messi’s 140. In fact, Lewandowski has scored more goals in a single season than either Ronaldo or Messi.
If you were to compare the goalscoring ability of the two star players, Lewandowski is the better player. The Bayern striker is only eight goals behind the Spanish forward and has an impressive scoring record. On the other hand, Ronaldo has a great goal-scoring record, with four goals per match. The two players are almost on par in terms of total goals.
In terms of KO stage goals, Messi has the edge. He has scored 10 goals in four UCL games, while Lewandowski has scored at least one goal in five. In the past, PSG has blown a first-leg lead four times – one more than any other club. And Real Madrid have lost the most UCL KO ties, with three and two.
In the UCL, Messi is still the best. His record in this competition is 71 goals in eight years, while Ronaldo has 76. Lewandowski has 81 goals in Europe’s top competition. Moreover, Lewandowski’s goals in the UCL are better than Messi’s 82. And he’s on the verge of breaking the record.
In April 2013, the two sides met for a one-off match in Lisbon. Lewandowski dominated Real Madrid, scoring four goals, while Ronaldo only managed one goal in the final at the Signal Iduna Park. At the time, Ramos was also interested in signing Lewandowski, but Lewandowski remained at Borussia Dortmund.
In the UCL, both Ronaldo and Messi have a good chance to win it all. However, both have their baggage and have pressing issues. While Ronaldo is a world-class player, he has an unfavorable fan base and a media frenzy. So, it is unclear who is better: Messi or Lewandowski?
