When comparing the illustrious careers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, their goalscoring prowess is often a focal point of debate among fans. One key aspect that frequently comes up is their penalty records.
Let’s delve into how their goalscoring records compare when penalties are excluded to provide a clearer picture.
Overall Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Total Goals | 893 | 835 |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 729 | 726 |
| Games Played | 1226 | 1063 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal | 137 | 120 |
Club Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 619 | 642 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal | 134 | 112 |
International Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 110 | 84 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal | 151.4 | 181.6 |
League Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Non-Penalty Goals: | 434 | 446 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal | 129 | 108 |
Champions League Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 121 | 111 |
| Non-Penalty Goals in Knockout Rounds | 60 | 41 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goa | 135 | 123 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal in Knockouts | 125 | 162 |
World Cup Goalscoring Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Non-Penalty Goals | 5 | 9 |
| Non-Penalty Goals in Knockout Rounds | 0 | 2 |
| Minutes per Non-Penalty Goal | 352 | 257 |
Penalty Records
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | |
| Total Penalties Scored | 164 | 109 |
| Penalty Conversion Rate | 84.5% | 77.9% |
| League Penalties | 111 | Unspecified |
| Champions League Penalties | 19 | Unspecified |
| International Penalties | 20 | 24 |
Takeaways
When penalties are removed from the equation, the gap between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo narrows significantly. Ronaldo’s non-penalty goals slightly surpass Messi’s by just three goals. Messi’s efficiency in scoring non-penalty goals is highlighted by his superior minutes-per-goal ratio, especially at the club level and in league competitions.
Ronaldo has a higher overall penalty conversion rate, but Messi has a better rate on the international stage.
This nuanced comparison showcases the slight edges each player has over the other in different aspects of non-penalty goalscoring, further fueling the debate over who the greater goalscorer is.
Regardless, both Messi and Ronaldo have set unprecedented standards in the world of football, making their careers nothing short of legendary.
