Why Messi May Never Match Ronaldo’s Goal Scoring Record Despite Being Two Years Younger

One of the biggest factors that football fans use to attempt to settle the infamous GOAT debate is the number of goals scored in a player's career.

Currently, the race for the all-time top goal-scorer in the men’s game is down to a duel between veterans, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The two players, who have shared the stage for nearly 15 years, are in the twilight of their respective careers but neither seems to be slowing down.

Ronaldo plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, while Messi plies his trade with Inter Miami in the MLS.

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Compared to Europe, the two leagues they currently represent are less daunting and it is easy to argue they could get many goals between now and the time they decide to retire.

Ronaldo vs. Messi: who has more goals?

At the time of publication, Ronaldo is the leading goal-scorer with a staggering 849 career goals. Messi follows closely with 819 goals, per Transfermarkt.

The Argentine has a slight edge over his long-term rival because of his two-year age deficit compared to the Portuguese superstar.

However, this is arguably where the advantage ends. Sports Brief now looks at five reasons why Ronaldo is bound to run away from Messi with the one record he has full control over:

1. Ronaldo’s fitness/longevity

The cliché in the GOAT debate is Ronaldo being a product of his hard work while Messi is raw talent. Well, it appears hard work is triumphing over talent as the 38-year-old hardly gets long-term injuries.

This contrasts with the 36-year-old Argentine, who has only played 72 minutes of football for Inter Miami since early September due to an injury sustained on international duty, per the BBC.

Couple this with Ronaldo’s goal-scoring prowess and Messi will find it very difficult to close the gap.

2. Al-Nassr have more fixures

Football in America has a unique structure, with the conference system giving teams a maximum of 34 games in the season (17 home and 17 away games plus minor cup games).

The fact that Inter Miami were knocked out of the playoffs means Messi will not play for the club competitively until February next year when the MLS season kicks off again.

In contrast, Al-Nassr can compete in various competitions in the Middle East including the AFC Champions League, the Kings Cup of Champions, and the domestic league games.

Factoring in Ronaldo’s exemplary fitness levels, he is likely to feature in all these competitions and get a goal or two.

3. Messi’s age factor

One crucial factor in the rivalry is father time and he seems to be catching up to Messi much faster than he is to Ronaldo.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has to be used sparingly by his manager just to ensure he is fit enough to feature in subsequent games of much more significance. This is despite Messi being two years younger than his counterpart in the Middle East.

4. More quality around Ronaldo

A fleet of high-quality football players moved to the Saudi Pro League from Europe and this greatly boosted the league’s profile on a global scale.

One factor that could play into Ronaldo’s advantage - and has already been witnessed so far - is the quality around him in terms of teammates.

Al-Nassr acquired the services of Aymeric Laporte, Alex Telles, Marcelo Brozovic, and Sadio Mane - players who are already reaping dividends for the club and the captain.

Mane in particular has integrated seamlessly with Ronaldo and the two have formed a formidable duo in attack.

Messi reflects on Inter Miami dream debut

Sports Brief previously reported on Messi’s take on his Inter Miami debut that saw him score a stunning free kick to open his tally with the US franchise.

He made his long-awaited debut on July 21 in the inaugural Leagues Cup against Cruz Azul, coming on as a second-half substitute to a rousing welcome.

The match appeared to be heading for a draw before Miami were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, with Messi stepping up to seal the victory.