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The Cristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi debate will rage on for eternity as both players have done enough to stake their claim to the throne. Lionel Messi has finally been able to achieve glory on the international stage by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
He was a one-man army of sorts at the recently concluded competition. Cristiano Ronaldo took home the Golden Boot at Euro 2020 but was unfortunate to have been eliminated in the Round of 16 by Belgium. This was followed by Portugal's shock loss to Morocco in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still going strong
It's fair to say that both Ronaldo and Messi are still going strong. Both players are well into their 30s. While the Portuguese international is 39-years-old, Messi will turn 37 in June.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been synonymous with records ever since they kicked into gear in their early 20s. Without further ado, let's take a look at five international records of Cristiano Ronaldo which Lionel Messi will struggle to break.
#5 Most international hat-tricks - 10
Cristiano Ronaldo is nearly impossible to contain once he hits his stride. His 63 career hat-tricks are a testament to that fact. Out of those 63, ten hat-tricks have come on the international stage for Portugal.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi has scored nine international hat-tricks for Argentina.
#4 Most FIFA World Cups scored in - 5
Cristiano Ronaldo has a reputation for stepping up when the stakes are high. He has come to the rescue of his side right when it has mattered the most and changed the course of games through his individual brilliance.
Ronaldo has scored in five FIFA World Cups in his career. He scored in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. By doing so, he has surpassed a list of elite footballers such as Pele, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler. Lionel Messi has scored in 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022 but not in 2010.
#3 Oldest player to score a hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo produced a mesmerizing performance in Portugal's 2018 FIFA World Cup opener against Spain. It was one of the most high-profile matches of the tournament's group stage and Ronaldo stole the show.
He scored a sumptuous hat-trick in the game with a spectacular free-kick in the 88th minute helping Portugal restore parity. Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup that night.
He was 33 years and 130 days old when he pulled it off. Scoring a hat-trick at a World Cup is a rare feat. Needless to say, it will be quite a difficult task for Messi to beat this Cristiano Ronaldo record and become the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup.
#2 Only player to score in 11 consecutive international tournaments
This is yet another record that is a good measure of how impressive Cristiano Ronaldo has been on the international stage. He has scored in 11 consecutive international tournaments in a career spanning 15 years.
The Portuguese international is the only player to have achieved this. Ronaldo has scored at least a goal at each of the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Euros, the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018) FIFA World Cups. He has also scored in the 2018 UEFA Nations League and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
This is a phenomenal achievement for Ronaldo and it goes to show that he is a player who has proven himself at every juncture in his career.
#1 Most international goals scored by a male footballer - 128
This particular record of Cristiano Ronaldo's is going to take some beating. The Juventus forward equalled Ali Daei's record of most international goals scored by a male footballer at Euro 2020. Ronaldo has now overtaken the Iranian legend's tally and holds the record for most international goals scored by a male footballer.
Lionel Messi scored seven goals at 2022 FIFA World Cup but he still has only 106 goals to his name for Argentina. Messi currently trails Ronaldo by 22 goals and it will take a Herculean effort and an incredible goalscoring run by him to even come close to Ronaldo.
