Credit: Goal.com
From Saudi Arabia to the United States, their brilliance continues to inspire football fans worldwide
How do you keep a rivalry going when countries, leagues, and time zones separate people? For Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the answer is their unparalleled talent. Despite playing in widely different environments, the year 2024 shows that age is just a number for these football legends.
Ronaldo, who ruled the roost in Saudi Arabia, demonstrated that he is still one of the world’s deadliest finishers. Messi, doing his magic in Major League Soccer (MLS), showed us why he is football’s supreme artist. However, the competition was more than goals, assists, and trophies; it was about moments that made you clutch your breath and fall in love with football all over again.
🚨 Cristiano Ronaldo has 36 G/A for Al Nassr in 2024. pic.twitter.com/2cfSMCICzK
— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) November 22, 2024
When you think of Ronaldo, you think of goals, and 2024 was no exception. The Portuguese superstar scored 43 goals for Al Nassr and Portugal. His ability to step up in crucial games shined through, particularly in the Saudi Super Cup, where he scored in both the semifinals and the final.
Even Ronaldo’s heroics could not secure cutlery for Al Nassr. The team almost lost out on the league championship and the Super Cup trophy. However, individual awards continued to flood in. With the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot in 2023/24 and two Player of the Month honours in 2024, Ronaldo proved his desire for excellence is as strong as ever.
Ronaldo’s international career was far from over. His seven goals in 12 European qualifications kept Portugal’s prospects of competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive. Who else could lead with such unwavering determination at 39?
Lionel Messi has been named the 2024 MLS MVP, FIRST player in Inter Miami 🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/UDfgA0cvfu
— JEY🥇 (@Mmonkoaa) December 6, 2024
Lionel Messi was creating his own story on the opposite side of the Atlantic. His transfer to Inter Miami in 2023 was hailed with both enthusiasm and cynicism, but by 2024, the Argentine maestro had transformed the team into a contender. Messi earned the league MVP title and was named to the MLS Best XI after scoring 23 goals and assisting 13 times in 25 matches.
However, Messi’s tale did not finish with club football. He became the most-capped player in Copa América history after leading Argentina to victory in 2024. Despite battling ailments, Messi’s noteworthy performances, particularly in the semifinals, demonstrated his unshakeable spirit. Add in his 6 goals and 5 assists in World Cup qualifiers, and you’ve got a guy who defies both time and limit.
Comparing Football Icons Stats on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is intriguing. In 2024, Ronaldo scored 43 goals in all competitions, while Messi scored 29. However, Messi shone out with 18 assists to Ronaldo’s 7.
Ronaldo played 51 games, displaying his fitness, while Messi appeared in 36 games for Major League Soccer and Argentina’s national side. Despite Ronaldo’s better goal total, Messi was somewhat more efficient, scoring every 100 minutes compared to Ronaldo’s 103.
Ronaldo led Al Nassr with 25 goals in domestic leagues, while Messi led Inter Miami with 20. Internationally, Ronaldo scored 7 goals for Portugal, while Messi scored 6 goals and assisted 5 times, showing his playmaking.
Finally, Ronaldo flourishes as a scorer, whereas Messi shines as a facilitator. This contrast will carry their intriguing contest beyond 2024.
As 2024 comes to a close, the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry remains football’s most compelling story. These luminaries inspire with their quest for perfection, even as their careers reach the end. One governed the MLS gracefully, while the other dominated the Saudi Pro League zealously.
Their legacies are established, their impact unrivalled, and their rivalry endures. As they near the end of their spectacular careers, supporters worry if we’ll see such magnificence again.
