Messi vs Ronaldo: Who’s the king of El Clasico?

The most important match in membership soccer takes place this weekend as Actual Madrid host rivals Barcelona on the Santiago Bernabeu within the first Clasico of the season.

It should function superstars like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on the Madrid facet and Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewanowski and Pedri on the Barca facet.

As ever, the fixture might be star-studded and stuffed with drama.

Nonetheless, it would maybe by no means be as glamorous once more as when Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had been on reverse groups, battling throughout a number of tournaments for particular person supremacy and supremacy of their respective golf equipment.

The pair outlined a soccer era and plenty of take into account them to be the 2 biggest gamers within the historical past of the game.

From league titles, to Champions League titles to even Ballon d’Or trophies, they had been and nonetheless are perennial rivals.

Each have since moved on, with Ronaldo leaving for Juventus, Manchester United and Al-Nassr, whereas Messi left Barca underneath a cloud for PSG earlier than heading to Main League Soccer with Inter Miami.

By no means was the rivalry extra highlighted after they had been on the pitch on the similar time in El Clasico.

However, who carried out higher within the fixture?

Objectives and Assists

Messi is, by far, the best goalscorer within the historical past of the Clasico with 26 targets to his title in 45 appearances in opposition to Actual Madrid.

Ronaldo and the good Alfredo Di Stefano are each in second with 18 targets every.

Nonetheless, Ronaldo performed fewer video games than his rival and really has a greater minutes-per-goal ratio.

Ronaldo scored a aim each 141 minutes, whereas Messi is barely increased at one aim each 152 minutes.

Messi scored two hat-tricks in opposition to Actual Madrid, however Ronaldo by no means scored one in opposition to Barca whereas enjoying for Los Blancos. CR7 does maintain the file for many consecutive Clasico targets, having scored in seven video games in a row.

By way of aim contributions, although, Messi recorded a aim or an help each 91 minutes, whereas Ronaldo recorded a aim or an help each 134 minutes.

The Argentine arrange 14 targets for team-mates whereas the Portuguese, maybe surprisingly, solely recorded one help within the fixture.

Wins and Losses

Messi naturally performed much more occasions within the fixture than Ronaldo, as he the latter joined and left Actual Madrid whereas the Argentine was nonetheless enjoying for Barca.

Let’s look particularly at Clasico matches that concerned each.

Within the 30 occasions Messi and Ronaldo confronted off within the Clasico, Barcelona received 14 occasions, Actual Madrid received eight occasions and there have been eight attracts.

Messi has a win price of 46% and a loss price of 26% whereas Ronaldo’s charges are flipped on that.

Messi’s biggest Clasico moments

Let’s choose two for every participant.

Within the 2011 Champions League semi, we not solely had Messi versus Ronaldo, however Pep Guardiola versus Jose Mourinho.

There was no love misplaced between the pair and the tensions spilled onto the pitch. Pushing and shoving contests had been commonplace and naturally Pepe obtained in on the act with a crimson card for a harmful excessive foot on Dani Alves.

Messi was solely within the soccer and he took the sport by the scruff of the neck to attain two targets for the 2-0 Barca victory.

The primary was a wise end on the close to put up however the second is the stuff of legend.

Sergio Busquets’ help for one of many biggest Clasico targets ever was a go lower than a yard, as he laid the ball off to Messi for the Argentine to embark on a slaloming run, leaving defender after defender for lifeless earlier than slotting a strike into the nook together with his weaker proper foot.

For the second second, we’ll select one thing much more iconic.

Heading right into a 2017 Clasico, Actual Madrid had been three factors forward of Barca in La Liga with a recreation in hand. With 32 fixtures performed up till that time, it grew to become considerably of a must-win for the Blaugrana.

With 91 minutes on the clock Madrid, with 10 males, had been settling for the draw – however not Barca. With 30 seconds to go, the guests ghosted up the pitch with the ball finally discovering Jordi Alba deep down the left wing. He passes inwards to Messi who lashes a left-footed strike into the nook as Barcelona went 3-2 up.

After Messi scored, he pulled off his shirt, turned it round in order that ‘Messi 10’ was dealing with the livid Santiago Bernabeu crowd.

Ronaldo’s biggest Clasico moments

Within the 2011 Copa del Rey closing the stress was on Actual Madrid and significantly on Mourinho. Earlier within the season they had been humbled 5-0 by Barca in what was in all probability the perfect show from a workforce within the historical past of the fixture.

Revenge was on the playing cards within the cup and Ronaldo took it upon himself to emerge because the match winner with a towering header on the again put up.

It was a turning level for Mourinho and his facet as Barca may now be overwhelmed and that levitating header was simply classic CR7.

For second two, it is one other celebration.

There should be no higher feeling as a footballer than silencing a crowd that has been providing you with stick all recreation.

Messi did it above, however a specific Ronaldo celebration was electrical otherwise.

In a 2012 La Liga fixture, the Portuguese celebrity rattled in a signature end to permit Madrid to win 2-1 at Camp Nou, taking a serious step in direction of the title.

After his end, Ronaldo advised the raucous Camp Nou crowd to relax with a assured calming hand gesture.

It was CR7 at his assured, conceited greatest.

Who is best, Messi or Ronaldo?

That is as much as you.