Stats Show Messi the Better Player Than Ronaldo on the Day They Turned 36

• Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both enjoyed an illustrious football journey that has seen them win several titles
• The two football greats have won 12 Ballon d'Or awards between them, with Messi taking home seven of them
• Sports Brief takes a look at how the duo compare when they turned 36

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the football scene for years, with their success on the pitch winning them multiple titles and honours.

So dominant they have been that fans, pundits, and even fellow footballers cannot agree who between them is the greatest of all time.

The duo's contribution to football has seen them become role models to the young generation of players, with many of them looking up to them.

However, the two football greats have entered the twilight years of their careers, and sooner than later, they will be handing the mantle to the next generation of youngsters.

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For context, both Messi and Ronaldo have all but ended their careers in Europe, with the former set to move to the Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.

On his part, Ronaldo is currently plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr, who he joined during the January transfer window.

According to Sportbible, Messi's move to the MLS comes after he turned 36, with the switch brewing an unending debate on if the Argentine got 'finished' earlier than Ronaldo.

Sports Brief takes a look at how the two football stars compare on the day they turned 36. The stats are courtesy of MessivsRonaldo, a site used to compare the pair's stats.

1. Ronaldo in Europe at 36

When Cristiano Ronaldo turned 36, he was still plying his trade in Europe with Juventus.

On his part, Messi will be playing in the MLS at the same age.

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2. Messi has more goals

Ronaldo may be known for his incisiveness in front of the goal.

However, Messi is up there when it comes to goals scored by age 36.

While the Argentine has 807 goals to his name, his arch-rival had 762 by the time he was 36.

3. Messi has more assists

Messi is known for cooking in the box when it comes to setting up his teammates for goals.

This is one area that he also beats Ronaldo.

The 2021 World Cup winner has thus far bagged 357 assists, while Ronaldo had 225 when he was celebrating his 36th birthday.

4. Ronaldo has more appearances

While Ronaldo had made 1,043 appearances across competitions when he was 36, Messi has managed 1028 so far.

5. Messi has more hat-tricks

Messi has so far bagged 57 hat-tricks, while Ronaldo had scored 56 of them by the time he was 36.

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6. Messi has more free-kick goals

This is the other area where Messi beats his football rival.

The ex-PSG star has scored 62 free-kick goals, with Ronaldo having 57 to his name when he was the same age as the Argentina international.

7. Ronaldo has scored more headers

No one can beat Ronaldo in the air, having scored 130 goals with his head compared to Messi's 26.

8. Ronaldo has more penalties

When it comes to penalties scored, Ronaldo has bagged 134 goals from the spot compared to Messi's 108.

Managers who chose Messi over Ronaldo

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have cemented their places among the greatest players in football history Due to their outstanding performances for club and country.

Over the past two decades, the pair have dominated the sport, setting record after record and guiding their teams to success after success.

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It is only natural that these legendary players are constantly compared to one another, given their extraterrestrial characteristics.

Apart from fans, some outstanding managers prefer the Argentine superstar to his Portuguese counterpart.