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In an interesting stat released by the UEFA Champions League's official X account, Lionel Messi was revealed to be the leading top scorer in the UCL group stages, closely edging Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Argentinian maestro has netted 78 goals in the preliminary round of the coveted competition, five more than what the 38-year-old forward was able to manage in his 20-year stay in Europe.
The duo have always dominated proceedings in the UEFA Champions League, claiming most of the significant records in the tournament for themselves. Having displayed his best form in the UCL, Ronaldo has the upper hand over Lionel Messi in most of the comparative statistics.
The Al Nassr number 7 has five Champions League titles to his name, one more than his counterpart. Ronaldo also leads the former Barcelona forward in terms of goals scored and assists provided, racking up a tally of 140 strikes and 42 assists in 183 appearances.
In comparison, the Argentina international has managed to bag 129 goals and 40 assists in 163 appearances, placing him in second place in both charts.
Nevertheless, one aspect of the competition where the Inter Miami talisman trumps his Portuguese peer is the total goals scored in the group stages. The data was recently shared on UCL's social media profiles, drawing Messi-focused reactions from the fans.
They took to X to compare the two legends and praise the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, stating:
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo's unmatched numbers on the European stage, many fans chose to understate his contributions, putting La Pulga above him.
One of the fans highlighted the fact that the former Real Madrid forward used to be predominantly deployed as a striker, as compared to Messi's wider playing positions.
While the fans have always been, and will continue to be, divided between the two football greats, the duopoly established by them on the biggest stages in the sport will always remain unmatched. 12 Ballon d'Ors, nine Champions Leagues, and countless memorable moments later, the duo have nothing left to prove.
The 2023–24 UCL season will be the first one after 22 years not to feature either Ronaldo or Messi
Ever since making his debut in the biggest club competition on the planet in 2002 with Sporting CP, Ronaldo has gone on to appear in every single one of its editions until last season, when he featured in the Europa League with Manchester United.
Similarly, Lionel Messi has made an appearance in every UCL campaign since 2004, forfeiting his right to compete in the tournament this year by choosing to move to the United States.
Consequently, the ongoing UCL season will be the first since 2002 where neither of the 'GOATs' will be making an appearance.
