El Clásico Rivalry Origins

Lore & Background

Together, they have achieved various historical milestones, coming to be considered as two of the greatest footballers of all time. They are two of the most decorated players ever, having won 85 official trophies in total (Messi 48, Ronaldo 37) during their senior careers thus far, and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a single season. According to IFFHS, they are the only two players to score over 900 goals each in their careers for club and country.

Ronaldo holds the record for most official goals in a career. Journalists and pundits regularly argue the individual merits of both players in an attempt to establish who they believe is the best player in modern football or ever. Regardless of preference, football critics generally agree that they are both the best players of their generation, outperforming their peers by a significant margin. Ronaldo has received praise for his physical attributes, goalscoring skills, and impact across multiple leagues, while Messi is lauded for his combination of dribbling, playmaking and goalscoring.

Some commentators choose to analyse the differing physiques and playing styles of the two, while part of the debate revolves around the contrasting personalities of the two players; Ronaldo is sometimes described as someone of temperamental character while Messi is considered to have a more reserved personality. Several commentators and players opined that Messi settled the debate after leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although many continue to view the rivalry as a matter of personal perspective and lasting legacy.

The rivalry has been compared to past global sports rivalries such as the Ali–Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Prost–Senna rivalry in motorsport, and the Federer–Nadal rivalry in tennis.

Reader's Guide

From 2009 to 2018, the two played against each other at least twice per season during El Clásico matches but also met many other times in competitions such as the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and a two-legged Champions League semi-final in 2011. This period was the most competitive in El Clásico history, with both players being their clubs' all-time top scorers. The two players alternated as top scorers in La Liga and the Champions League during most seasons while they were with Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Did You Know?

• In 2007, Ronaldo and Messi finished as runners-up to AC Milan's Kaká in both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year.
• Messi and Ronaldo first played against each other in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals when Manchester United faced Barcelona.
• In the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2–0, with Messi scoring a rare header.
• On 9 February 2011, Messi and Ronaldo faced each other for the first time while representing their international sides, in a friendly between Argentina and Portugal; both scored, with Messi's penalty winning 2–1.
• Messi finished the calendar year of 2012 with an all-time record of 91 goals for both club and country, overtaking Gerd Müller's record of 85 goals.