Ronaldo vs Messi blockbuster in Saudi Arabia: Revisiting 6 most memorable clashes
There have been a few memorable matches in the 36 times that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have faced off against one another. Ahead of their encounter at the Riyadh Season Cup, here's a look at 6 iconic games featuring the two legends.
FollowOld rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will once again square off on Thursday when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will face a combined XI of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal stars in a friendly known as Riyadh Season Cup at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi Arabian capital city.Â
Ronaldo was forced to miss his first two domestic games for his new club due to a suspension carried over from his spell at Manchester United, but Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia has revealed that the Portuguese talisman will play against PSG in Riyadh. The game will be the Portuguese talisman's debut on Saudi Arabian soil and will take place at 10:30 PM IST. The 37-year-old striker will make his Saudi Pro League debut on January 22 against Ettifaq.
Ronaldo and Messi last played together during a December 2020 Champions League clash between Juventus and Barcelona. The Portugal international has switched teams twice since then, and Messi has won the World Cup. It makes sense then that there were almost 2 million online requests for tickets to the game at the King Fahd International Stadium, which seats 68,000 people, according to sources who spoke to ESPN.
If both superstars play on the same field in Riyadh on Thursday, it will be the first time they have met in person in more than two years (772 days, to be exact). Ronaldo's presence is certain because the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was handed the Riyadh All-Star XI's captain armband earlier this week.
In fact, during the 36 encounters between Ronaldo and Messi since their first match in April 2008, Al Nassr will be the fourth different club the Portuguese legend has represented. Meanwhile, Messi plays for his second team after leaving Barcelona to join PSG in the summer of 2021.
Ronaldo vs Messi - Head to Head
For club and country, Messi and Ronaldo have faced off 36 times. The only other player Ronaldo has faced as frequently in his professional career is Andres Iniesta (36 times). In contrast, Messi has played against Sergio Ramos, Diego Godin, and Karim Benzema more frequently during his career.
On April 23, 2008, 20-year-old Messi was paired up against 23-year-old Ronaldo for the first time when Barcelona and Manchester United played a goalless draw in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.Â
The most recent instance occurred when Juventus defeated Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League group stage, with Ronaldo scoring twice from the penalty spot.
Messi leads the head-to-head record with 16 victories in competitive games to Ronaldo's 11. Nine of the matchups between the two have ended in draws. Messi has scored 22 goals in their encounters, while CR7 has netted 21. The Argentinean superstar has also created 11 assists compared to just one from his rival.
Ronaldo and Messi have played against each other five times in the Champions League knockout stage: both legs of the 2007-08 (Barcelona vs Manchester United) and 2010-11 (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) semifinals, as well as the 2008-09 final in Rome in which Messi scored for the Catalan club in a 2-0 win over Ronaldo's Manchester United.
With 140 goals overall, Ronaldo may be the Champions League's leading scorer, but his two penalty kick goals against Barcelona in the 2020–21 group stage marked the first (and so far only) occasion in which he did so while playing alongside Messi, who has three goals in European games against Ronaldo-led teams.
Importantly, Messi is still competing in the Champions League. The PSG star has 129 goals in the competition and can surpass Ronaldo's record if the French giants progress in the tournament.
WATCH: 6 most memorable Ronaldo vs Messi clashes
There have been a few memorable matches in the 36 times that Ronaldo and Messi have faced off against one another. Here are the top six.
Champions League 2009 final - Manchester United 0-2 Barcelona
At the 2009 Champions League final on May 27 in Rome, Messi came on top as Barcelona bagged a 2-0 victory against Manchester United, with the Argentinean hero scoring a rare header for the Catalan club's second goal. With this win, Barcelona also secured their first-ever European Cup treble.
'La Manita' 2010 - Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid
On November 29, 2010, Camp Nou witnessed a historic El Clasico humiliation of Real Madrid as Barcelona registered a 5-0 victory over Jose Mourinho's men. Messi didn't score, but he did assist in two goals as Barcelona thrashed their opponents, who came into the game atop La Liga and unbeaten in seven games. Gerard Pique's five-fingered "Manita" ("Little Hand") salute to the audience immortalised the significant score.
Ronaldo's retribution at 2011 Copa del Rey final - Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona
On the fifth attempt, Ronaldo defeated Barcelona while playing for Real Madrid. The solitary goal came from the Portuguese forward, whose thunderous header in the 103rd minute helped Los Blancos steal the Copa del Rey from Barcelona on April 20, 2011.
Ronaldo's 2012 call for 'Calma' - Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
On April 21, 2012, When the two arch-rivals faced again at Camp Nou, Ronaldo triumphed again. Real Madrid moved seven points clear at the top of the La Liga standings with four games remaining, eliminating Barcelona's prospects of successfully defending their league crown. Los Blancos broke the Spanish league scoring record with goal No. 109 of the season thanks to Ronaldo's score, which he recognised in an uncharacteristically quiet manner by indicating "calm" as his teammates celebrated. Real then romped to the title shortly after.
Copa del Rey woes at Camp Nou in 2013 - Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid
On February 26, 2013, Ronaldo once more caused Catalonia Copa del Rey agony when the Real Madrid icon put on a masterful display to eliminate Barcelona. The Portuguese talisman scored twice in the return leg at Camp Nou to confirm Los Blancos' spot in the final after the first leg ended 1-1 at the Bernabeu.
Messi's 2017 shirt celebration - Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona
The Argentine talisman scored the game's winning goal in the 92nd minute to give Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 victory at the Bernabeu and maintain their chances of winning La Liga on April 23, 2017. Messi took centre stage once more. Despite the hostile environment and the fact that he had previously scored in the first half, Messi maintained his composure to score in extra time to win the game. He then pointedly reminded the Real Madrid fans of his name while celebrating.
In the nine years, Messi and Ronaldo spent together in Spain, there was never a goalless Clasico. If there is one statistic or fact that best captures the grandeur of the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, it is this.
