Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who has scored most goals in 2025 after Inter Miami captain bags goal in win over LA Galaxy?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the world of football for over a decade, and their rivalry has changed the history of the game. The two are now playing miles away from each other, but the GOAT debates continue as they enter the twilight of their careers.

The legendary duo of Messi and Ronaldo continues to give their best for their respective teams and are now captains of their clubs. The Argentine is leading Inter Miami in the MLS, while the Portuguese superstar is doing the same for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Their roles in the side do not just end with the captaincy armband, as the duo continues to score important goals for the club and the national team. They have a combined 47 goals to their names in 2025, and fans are now checking to see who has scored more goals this year after the Argentine scored against LA Galaxy.

Messi leads Ronaldo by three goals, having scored 25 goals in 34 matches for club and country. The Al-Nassr captain has 22 goals in his tally but has played just 26 matches in the calendar year. In terms of creativity, the Inter Miami superstar has 10 assists to his name, while the Portuguese forward has managed just one.

The Inter Miami captain has scored his lone penalty this season, while his Al-Nassr counterpart has scored five and missed two. Ronaldo has a better minutes-per-goal contribution at 101.7; meanwhile, Messi stands at 109.5.

However, there is a drastic change when assists are combined, as the Inter Miami captain's minutes per goal/assist drop to 78.2, while the Al-Nassr captain sees a slight increase to 97.3. Interestingly, both superstars are yet to score a hat-trick in 2025.

Cristiano Ronaldo has ended speculation about his future by signing a new deal with Al-Nassr. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward is set to stay at the Saudi Pro League club until 2027.

Lionel Messi remains in contract talks at Inter Miami, as his deal expires at the end of the year. The MLS side are confident about agreeing terms with the Barcelona legend before the season ends.

Rivlary with Lionel Messi changed football, claimed Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about his rivalry with Lionel Messi in 2023, claiming that they changed the history of football. He admitted that they were no longer rivals on the pitch after moving to different continents and said (via ESPN):

"I don't see things like that, the rivalry is gone. It was good, spectators liked it. Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. We've done well, we have changed the history of football. We are respected all over the world, that's the most important thing."

"He's followed his path and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. From what I've seen, he's been doing well and so have I. The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that. We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could face each other in 2026 if they play for their national teams at the FIFA World Cup. Their last meeting on the pitch was back in 2020, when Juventus defeated Barcelona 3-0 at Camp Nou.