Comparing Messi and Ronaldo: Analyzing Their Paths to Surpassing 500 League Goals
Lionel Messi recently entered the exclusive club of football players who have achieved the milestone of scoring 500 or more league goals, joining his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 36-year-old secured a brace during the match, displaying his prowess by scoring both goals in the second half, ultimately inspiring his team to a resounding victory.
According to Sportskeeda, Messi’s two goals held special significance as they propelled the Barcelona icon to a unique milestone in his illustrious career.
Both Messi and Ronaldo now stand as the only two active players who have achieved the landmark of scoring 500 or more league goals.
Robert Lewandowski, their closest challenger, is still 121 goals away from reaching this impressive milestone.
The prolific striker, currently with Barcelona, has amassed an impressive total of 379 league goals throughout his career, with a significant portion of them earned during his stints in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
Who did it better?
Messi recently accomplished his feat over the weekend, but Ronaldo was the first to surpass the 500-goal mark in 2023.
According to The Guardian, Ronaldo achieved this milestone in February of the same year while playing for Al Nassr against Al-Wehda. In that match, the Portuguese star scored four goals, leading his team to a commanding 4-0 victory.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo required 654 games to reach the milestone, securing victories in 450 of those matches while only facing defeat 92 times.
Among the 500 goals, 99 were from penalties, 33 from free kicks, and 37 from open play. The majority of his league goals were for Real Madrid, with Ronaldo scoring 311 times in La Liga during his tenure with the Spanish giants.
His time at Juventus saw him net 81 goals in Serie A, and during his two spells with Manchester United in the Premier League, he scored 103 goals. Additionally, Ronaldo scored three goals in the Portuguese top flight while playing for Sporting Lisbon.
On the other hand, Messi accomplished the feat in 587 games. Of his 500 goals, 474 were scored for Barcelona, and 22 for PSG. The Argentine maestro has scored 60 league penalties, 41 free-kicks, and 52 goals from outside the box.
