5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo has had a better 2020 than Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguably the two greatest players to have graced the game.

The duo has been the epitome of sustained excellence and consistency for the better part of a decade and a half. Both of them are undoubtedly the best players for their respective clubs.

However, with Cristiano Ronaldo rolling back the years at Juventus, Lionel Messi has endured a rather underwhelming year at his beloved Barcelona considering his staggering standards. On that note, let us have a look at:

5 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo has had a better year than Lionel Messi

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have not shown any signs of slowing down.

However, the Portugal captain has had a better year compared to his Argentine counterpart.

#1 Better goal return per game

Cristiano Ronaldo has been on fire in 2020, scoring goals galore for club and country.

The 35-year-old has almost amassed a goal per game for club and country this year, scoring 44 goals in 45 games in all competitions, while also becoming the first European player to score 100 international goals.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, played more games during the year (47) but scored far fewer goals (27) in all competitions than his Portuguese counterpart. The Barcelona captain scored only 0.57 goals per game this year.

#2 Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi endured a trophyless year

Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus win a ninth consecutive Scudetto this year.

Cristiano Ronaldo's rich form in league football in 2020, especially in the first part of the year, helped Juventus win their ninth consecutive Scudetto.

Despite missing out on the Capocannoniere award for the second season in a row, Ronaldo's 31 league goals last season (21 in 2020) helped the Bianconeri extend their domestic dominance.

On the other hand, Lionel Messi's diminishing league returns in the year played a part in Barcelona falling short of a La Liga three-peat. However, the Argentinian did break Xavi's record of most assists in a season, but that was to no avail as Barcelona failed to win a single trophy.

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo has had better form in league football

As has already been mentioned before, Cristiano Ronaldo has had a goal-rich year. His tally of 44 goals in all competitions for club and country this season comprises 33 league goals - 21 in 2019-20 and 12 in the present campaign, with the player scoring his first Serie A hat-trick to open the year.

On the other hand, Lionel Messi did not have the best time in league football this year, at least from the perspective of scoring goals. The Argentine tallied only 19 La Liga goals this year - 12 in the last season and seven in the ongoing season.

#4 Better form in the UEFA Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo scored six goals in as many games in the Champions League this year, with four of these strikes coming in this season's competition. However, despite his exploits, Juventus exited in the Round of 16 in the Champions League in the 2019/20 season.

On the other hand, Lionel Messi has scored only four times in the Champions League this year, with three of these goals coming this season. The player came a cropper in Barcelona's 2-8 humbling against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals last season.

#5 Better form in international football

In six games for Portugal this year, Cristiano Ronaldo scored three goals, with his brace against Sweden bringing up his century of goals in international football.

In sharp contrast, Lionel Messi has netted only once in four games for Argentina this year - all of them in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Ashwin