This is one of the most asked questions in football, and if you are a hardcore fan of football, then you must have asked this question. Or else it has at least crossed your mind. With the outstanding and jaw-dropping football talents of our time, the fierce rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and a higher number of fans than the game has ever had in history watching every detail that adds to spice up the rivalry. No time could be more fierce to settle this debate. So, who is the best football player in the world?
Lionel Messi of Rosario in Argentina and Paris Saint Germain football star is the best football player in the world. His records speak the loudest and set him apart as the most befitting for the title. Holding the record as the all-time La Liga top scorer, most assists provider in La Liga, and numerous other records in his favor. He is the best football player in the whole world.
However, we can’t forget other top performances on the football field by Messi’s contemporaries. Speaking of outstanding talents like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski, Kevin De Bryune, Mohamed Salah and others. Although there are many equally amazing football talents we’ve come to acknowledge in the last decade, this post outlines just who the best of the best is and why.
Who Is No 1 Messi Or Ronaldo?
Messi is the no 1 footballer in the world. The contention for who’s the best between him and the Portuguese football star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been one of the most debated in football history. However, with Messi leading the Argentinian National team to victory at the 2022 World cup, he brought the debate to a close. Messi is simply number one.
Messi leads Ronaldo in almost every possible metric for assessing the two players. Before the 2022 World cup, both players had won literally almost every major trophy for their clubs and countries. However, the only missing trophy neither of them had been able to add to their collection of trophies was the World cup. And Messi broke the hardlock at the 2022 World Cup when he led the Argentina national team to international glory.
However, beyond just Messi’s World cup win, let’s look up some facts about the two in a head-to-head that give credence to Messi’s place as the best football player in the world.
Club Level Championship Records
Messi’s Record
In the course of his playing for the clubs he has been with (majorly FC Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain of recent), Messi has won ten La Liga titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, four UEFA Champions League trophies, and seven Copa del Rey trophies during his stay at FC Barcelona after making it to nine Copa del Rey finals.
The global superstar moved to play in Ligue 1 for Paris Saint Germain in the middle of 2021, where he added the French Super Cup to his collection of trophies. Still in his collection, Messi has six European golden shoes.
Ronaldo’s Record
Ronaldo’s professional football career has lasted for over 21 years, during which he has played for four clubs across different leagues, including Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He has bagged a total of seven league cups across three different leagues- a record that made him the first player in football history to win the Serie A, La Liga, and Premier league titles.
Ronaldo also has an English FA trophy, an Italian trophy, four FIFA Club World Cups, five UEFA Champions League cups, and three UEFA Super Cups. He also has four golden shoe awards to his credit and has two titles each of the English Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, Italian Super Cup, English League cup, and Spanish Cup (Copa del Reys).
Victories Recorded For Their Respective Countries
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Messi’s Record
While playing for the Argentina national team, Messi has won a total of four major trophies. The most recent being the 2022 World Cup, his first and only World Cup trophy. He has also won a Copa America trophy in 2021, a CONMEBOL UEFA Cup of Champions trophy, and the FIFA under 20 World Cup in 2005.
Messi has also made several records while playing for the Argentina national team. He became the first and only player to win five awards for player of the match in a single men’s World Cup. And after winning the golden boot for the second time at the 2022 World Cup, he became the first player to take home the award twice.
Ronaldo’s Record
Cristiano Ronaldo has won a total of two trophies for the Portuguese National football team. He won his first at the EUROS tournament in 2016 and the second when Portugal took home the 2018/2019 UEFA Nations League tournament. However, he has never won any major awards when playing for his country. He has also never led his country’s national team to victory at the world cup and lost the chance to when Morocco sent Portugal home at the 2022 World cup, which is most probably his last world cup.
Major Records Held
Player | Number of goals | Number of assists | Number of appearances | Goals to games ratio |
Lionel Messi | 793 | 386 | 1,023 | 0.78 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 819 | 266 | 1,144 | 0.72 |
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Number Of Goals Scored
Ronaldo leads when it comes to the number of goals both players have been able to score during their football careers. Ronaldo is ranked as the player with the greatest number of goals in men’s international football. He has 118 goals to his credit which he bagged solely from playing for his country and after taking part in 196 matches. Ronaldo also stands out as Real Madrid’s all-time highest goalscorer.
However, the goals-to-games ratio tilts in Messi’s favor. Interestingly, Messi also holds the record for the player to send the most balls behind the net in a calendar year. A record he set with 91 goals in 2012.
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Number Of Assists Provided
Although Ronaldo is a dangerous striker, Lionel Messi is a better playmaker than Cristiano Ronaldo, which is very evident in the large difference between the two players’ number of assists. Messi leads Ronaldo with over 100 assists.
Major Awards Won
Award | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo |
Ballon d’Or | 7 | 5 |
FIFA world player of the year | 6 | 5 |
European golden shoe | 6 | 4 |
Pichichi | 8 | 3 |
World soccer’s best player | 5 | 5 |
FIFA Puskas | 0 | 1 |
FIFA club world cup golden ball | 2 | 1 |
Golden feet | 0 | 1 |
UEFA club footballer of the year | 1 | 1 |
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The Ballon d’Or Awards
Messi has taken home more Ballon d’Or than his closest rival, Ronaldo. Although they had both won the title five times each, Messi took the lead by winning two more times.
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FIFA World Player Of The Year
Messi still takes the lead here having bagged six of the titles as against Ronaldo’s five.
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Euro Golden Shoe
Messi has taken the European golden shoe for a record six times, while Ronaldo has won four golden shoes.
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Pichichi (OR Top goal Scorer award In La Liga)
Again Messi standsout as the single player with the most Pichichi awards in his collection. He has 8 of the titles while Ronaldo has three.
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World Soccer Best Player
Both Messi and Ronaldo have been the world’s best players five times during their careers.
Who Is The No 1 Player In The World?
Lionel Messi, the Paris Saint Germain forward and Rosarino superstar is the no 1 player in the world of football. He is also one of the greatest football players of all time. His football record is incredible, his dribbling tactics top-notch, and his playmaking ability unrivaled. Having won almost every trophy and award there is to be won in football and crowning it with his long-desired World Cup in 2022, Messi’s football record stands unrivaled.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only football talent that has come closest to rivaling Messi’s football record but for the fact that he has never led his national team to victory at the World Cup. However, Messi recently put an end to the fierce debate over who among the two players is the number one in the world with his World Cup win. To bet on football you can visit the page sports online betting.
Who Is The Best Footballer In 2022?
Paris Saint Germain football king and Argentinian sensation Lionel Messi holds the record for the best men’s football player in 2022. Although he got off to a rough start with his club at the start of the season, Messi ended the season with 11 goals and 14 assists after featuring in 33 matches for the club.
Messi also ended 2022 in the most incredible way and with what must have been a sure shocker to his Portuguese rival when he led the Argentinian national team to victory at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Apart from Messi, here are a few other of the best football players we saw in 2022.
1. Robert Lewandowski
The Polish talent and FC Barcelona forward performed impressively in the 2021/ 2022 season with 2 world cup goals, 35 goals in Bundesliga, and 13 in the UEFA Champions League. He is definitely one of the top footballers at present and no doubt one of the best players in the world presently.
2. Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe’s record is for sure one of the most impressive in recent football and attests to the fact that he is a talented player. At just 23, the young French talent has already recorded 110 goals in 117 appearances for PSG in league games and 27 goals for his country after 57 appearances.
3. Kevin de Bruyne
When it comes to killer passes, electrifying crosses, and the natural ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and lodge balls in the back of the net, Kevin de Bruyne is one name that should readily come to mind. The Manchester City midfielder and interesting playmaker ended the year with an impressive 15 goals in the Premier League and 2 in the UEFA Champions League.
4. Mohamed Salah
Although Salah would not pass for an all-round player per se, there’s just no denying his effectiveness and pivotal position in the Liverpool football team. Few players can pick up a long-range pass and drive through with it the way the Liverpool sensation does. Salah’s 2022 performance has been great earning him 23 goals in the EPL and 8 in the UCL.
5. Karim Benzema
It’s impossible not to observe the critical position the French football star and Real Madrid forward holds in his club. His splendid ball control and long-range shots are skills the team bank on him to deliver on again and again. 2022 had been significant for him as he officially resigned from playing for the France national team and took home the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career.
Other exceptional acts in 2022 worth mentioning are Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr.
Conclusion
The debate for the best player in the world will always arise. That’s because of the sport’s competitive nature. Notwithstanding, it is crystal clear that Lionel Messi is the best of the best in the football world. It is practically impossible to deny that the Rosarino born legend has had a long and fruitful career.