Cristiano Ronaldo vs Robert Lewandowski: Career Stats, Goals, and Legacy Compared

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the world record for most international goals (135 for Portugal) and is the all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League (140 goals). Robert Lewandowski holds the Bundesliga single-season scoring record (41 goals in 2020–21), has scored 600+ club goals, and is widely considered the best pure striker in the world for most of the 2010s decade. Ronaldo's career numbers are larger; Lewandowski's efficiency and technique at center forward are arguably superior. The debate turns on position — Ronaldo is a winger-turned-forward whose goal totals reflect exceptional longevity; Lewandowski is a center forward who has been among the world's three best strikers for fifteen years.