Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo? Comparing number of finals lost by duo after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup loss

Lionel Messi lost the Leagues Cup final with Inter Miami on Sunday, August 31, just days after Cristiano Ronaldo lost the Saudi Super Cup with Al-Nassr to Al-Ahli. Both players are in the twilight of their careers, but continue to show the hunger on the pitch to win matches.

The losses in August have seen fans of both players scrambling to check who has suffered more final defeats. The two GOATS of the game have won silverware throughout their careers, but have also had some heartbreaking defeats.

Messi has played in 44 finals in his career, winning 31 and losing 13. The Argentine has a win percentage of 70.45 in his career appearances in finals, and has recorded wins at Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami, as well as with the national team.

The Leagues Cup defeat to Seattle Sounders ended a five-year streak for Messi, who had been on a winning run with the Finalissima, Trophee des Champions, FIFA World Cup, Leagues Cup, and Copa America under his belt. His last final defeat was against Athletic Bilbao in the 2021 Spanish Super Cup, while playing for Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has played in 40 finals in his career, winning 26 and losing 14. His win percentage stands at 65, a decrease since moving to Al-Nassr. His only silverware at the club has been the Arab Club Champions League, which is an unofficial tournament and not recognised by FIFA.

Lionel Messi currently holds the record for most goals scored in a final, with 37 in his 44 finals. Cristiano Ronaldo has just nine goals in his 40 finals for club and country.

Lionel Messi recently spoke about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi spoke to DSports earlier this year, admitting that he has a lot of respect for Cristiano Ronaldo. he believes that they pushed each other to do better on the pitch and said (via SI):

“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he's had and continues to have, because he's still competing at the highest level. The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field. Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We're not friends obviously because we don't spend time together, but we've always treated each other with a lot of respect.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have faced each other seven times in the final. The Argentine has scored seven goals in those matches, while the Portuguese superstar managed five.