Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup: A Statistical Comparison

The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Lionel Messi will be the main player for the Argentine national team, having led them to victory in the previous World Cup in Qatar.

Cristiano Ronaldo will also be part of the Portuguese national team, with five World Cup appearances under his belt. But who comes out on top statistically?

Both Messi and Ronaldo have played in five World Cups, but Messi has scored more goals, with 13 to Ronaldo's 8.

Messi's best performance was in the 2022 World Cup, where he scored seven goals and led Argentina to the championship.

Ronaldo holds the record for scoring in five consecutive World Cups, with at least one goal in each tournament.

Messi has played the most World Cup games, with 26 appearances, while Ronaldo has played 22 games.

Messi has won one World Cup title, while Ronaldo's best finish was the quarterfinals.

Messi has provided eight assists in the World Cup, while Ronaldo has only two assists.

Neither Messi nor Ronaldo has received a red card in the World Cup, despite playing in five tournaments.

Messi has received three yellow cards, while Ronaldo has received four.

Messi has won 16 games out of 26 in the World Cup, with four draws and six losses. Ronaldo has won 10 games, with five draws and seven losses.