Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo

Messi has won more individual awards (8 Ballon d'Ors vs Ronaldo's 5) and a FIFA World Cup, while Ronaldo holds superior athleticism metrics and has scored more international goals (128 vs 129 for Messi as of 2026). Their peak performances occurred in different eras, with Messi dominating the 2009-2015 period and Ronaldo excelling from 2013-2018.