'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are often considered as the greatest footballers to ever grace the game. Even at 34 and 31 respectively, they continue to dominate world football by shattering record after record. With a combined 10 Ballon d'Ors followed by numerous trophies and accolades, they are still defying expectations and are mesmerizing the world with their brilliance and unmatched consistency.
Throughout their careers, the eternal rivals have achieved such unprecedented levels of success which might not be replicated. As if their success is not enough, they are still improvising their game and continue to give important footballing lessons to young players like Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Antoine Griezmann, Eden Hazard and many more.
Also see : Womens World Cup Bracket, Copa America Standings, Gold Cup Standings
Here are five incredible records by Cristiano Ronaldo which Messi might never break:
#5 More than 50 goals in six consecutive seasons
Cristiano Ronaldo is often known as a goal-scoring machine. Already a world-class goalscorer with Manchester United, he took his finishing to a whole new level with Real Madrid. During his nine years with the Madrid club, he managed to score at least 40 goals in each of the seasons, barring his debut campaign. The ex-Manchester United star has scored an astonishing 331 goals in 313 appearances for more than 50 goals in 6 consecutive seasons for the Los Blancos from the 2010-11 to 2015-16 seasons respectively.
However, Messi could only manage the same streak for three consecutive seasons from 2010-11 to 2012-13. As he turns 32 in June, he is approaching the twilight of his career. It might not be possible for the little magician to rack up 6 consecutive seasons with 50 plus goals. So, the chances of Messi breaking this record are very slim.
Stats in Detail
2010-11: 53 goals
2011-12: 60 goals
2012-13: 55 goals
2013-14: 51 goals
2014-15: 61 goals
2015-16: 51 goals
#4 Champions League top scorer for 6 consecutive seasons
It's a well-known fact that the UEFA Champions League is the favourite tournament of Cristiano Ronaldo. A five-time winner, Ronaldo has finished the competition as the top goalscorer on seven separate occasions.
Cristiano Ronaldo also had his name written in gold as a result of his excellence in the competition. The Portuguese forward is the first player to be the Champions League top scorer for six consecutive years.
For the previous six editions of the tournament starting from the 2012-13 season, Ronaldo has been the top scorer in all of them. His haul of 17 goals in the 2013-14 season still remains the highest tally for a single season in Europe.
Messi, himself has been the Champions League top scorer on four straight occasions from 2008-09 till 2011-12. But, extending this feat for 6 more seasons maybe beyond the capabilities of even a phenomenon like him.
#3 Winning Champions League three consecutive times
Retaining the UEFA Champions League trophy is considered a magnanimous task. Since its inception in 1992, only one club has been able to win back-to-back Champions League titles. That club is Real Madrid and the player at the heart of those triumphs is none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Having already won the title in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 season, Ronaldo created history by winning the Champions League for the third straight occasion in 2018 and etched his name in the record books. Even today, winning the Champions League is still considered a dream of many players (just ask Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo Nazario). But, winning it thrice and that too consecutively is just absurd.
So for any player, even if of Messi’s stature, achieving this feat looks nearly impossible. Also, being on the wrong side of 30, with father time catching up with him, he might never be able to match this incredible record, forget surpassing it.
#2 Winning the league in 3 different nations
This record seems pretty much out of Messi’s reach. Having already won the League titles with Manchester United in England and Real Madrid in Spain, Ronaldo is trying to win the Serie A with Juventus in Italy. With Manchester United, he won the Premier League thrice (2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09).
He would later join Real Madrid in 2009 and would win the LaLiga in 2011-12 and 2016-17. Then, this summer, he jumped ship to Juventus and is on course for his first Serie A with the Bianconeri enjoying a massive 15-point lead over 2nd placed Napoli with only 10 matches remaining in the season.
On the other hand, Messi has spent his entire career with Barcelona and it looks very much likely that he will hang up his boots there too. So the question of winning the league in 3 different nations is effectively ruled out.
#1 Major awards with 2 different clubs
In a career spanning over 15 years, Ronaldo has won it all. He has won almost all major individual awards and that too with not one but two different clubs -- Manchester United and Real Madrid. During his six-year spell at Old Trafford, he won the Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, European Golden Boot and FIFA Puskas Award with the Red Devils.
After his world record move to Real Madrid in 2009, he would replicate his success with the Spanish outfit. He would go on to win 3 Ballon d'Ors, 2 FIFA The Best Awards and 3 European Golden Boots.
As for Messi, he has always been a one-club man and may continue to be so. Unless he leaves Barcelona for new challenges, he might not be able to catch his eternal rival in this regard. Thus, this record seems pretty much untouchable from Ronaldo's point of view.
Awards with Manchester United
Ballon d'Or: 2008
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2008
European Golden Boot: 2007-08
FIFA Puskas Award: 2009
Awards with Real Madrid
Ballon d'Or: 20013, 2014, 2016, 2017
The Best FIFA Men's Player: 2016, 2017
European Golden Boot: 2010-11, 2013-14, 2014-15
