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Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona top scorer Lionel Messi are widely regarded as two of the best players to have graced the beautiful game.
They shared an enticing nine-season rivalry in the Spanish top flight between 2009 and 2018. Undoubtedly, both players have been a huge part of the two clubs' El Clasico rivalry during this period.
Messi obviously has more appearances in club football's most watched game, as he was in the league a few years before Ronaldo arrived. The Argentine was also there for three more seasons after Ronaldo had left in 2018. So, how do their El Clasico records look like? Let's take a look.
Lionel Messi has made 45 El Clasico appearances across four different competitions, scoring a record 26 times and also assisting 14; Barca won 18 of these games. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has netted 18 times in 30 El Clasico games, assisting once and winning eight times.
Ronaldo has the better goals-per-game ratio (0.6) and minutes per goal (141.5) than Messi (0.58 and 151.5). However, the Argentine has the fewer minutes per goal contribution (98.5) than Ronaldo (133.6).
Notably, Messi also has two El Clasico hat-tricks, while Ronaldo has none. Of course, neither player has graced the game since the 2021-22 season when Messi left Barca to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
Lionel Messi's injury time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo's calma celebration: How iconic duo redefined Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are part of El Clasico folklore, providing numerous memorable moments in Real Madrid's iconic rivalry with Barcelona over the years.
Although it has been five years since both graced the fixture, the two stars have had their moments in club football's most-watched derby. In April 2017, Messi scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner to stun the Santiago Bernbeu as Barcelona won 3-2 at the home of their great rivals.
Five years earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo produced his memorable 'calma' celebration after scoring in Real Madrid's 2-1 league win against Barca en route winning the title. He had also scored a 103rd minute winner in the 2011 Copa del Rey final against the Blaugrana.
