Few soccer topics spark as much emotion as the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Former USMNT Center-back Alexi Lalas has now added another layer to the conversation, insisting that one legend’s story cannot be told without the other.
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“You can boo all you want out there. But there is no Messi without Ronaldo,” Lalas said on Fox Sports’ FIFA World Cup broadcast. “Heroes need villains. Sometimes you need a foil, my friend. It’s important at times. And these players, they have been representative of the World Cup.
“When we do those montages of World Cups going forward in the future, those players are going to be involved. Because you see them, and immediately you think the World Cup. Immediately, you think greatness, and that is what the World Cup does to an individual. It elevates you even if you’re already famous, even if you’ve already done wonderful things. The World Cup is a whole other level of power and attention.”
Alexi Lalas’ assessment isn’t without reason. The core sentiment is that the former USMNT player feels the two players served as essential competitive foils who were necessary for each other. As such, they seemingly pushed each other to unprecedented and historic heights through their iconic rivalry.
It has been over two decades since both of them started their professional soccer career. During their time playing for Barcelona and Real Madrid, Messi and Ronaldo shared the most years (2009-2018) as direct rivals. And from that time to date, whenever any offensive stat comes up, fans draw parallels between them.
Now speaking of their overall stats, it goes neck to neck. Messi has 1,332 career goal contributions, while Ronaldo boasts 1,237. Not just that, in terms of European Golden Shoes, which is awarded to the top domestic league goalscorer across all of Europe, Messi has won six times. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won it four times. But in terms of the Ballon d’Or, the Argentine cleared out on this front with eight triumphs while CR7 won it just five times.
These results stand as evidence of how the competitive drive between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has somehow destined them to more accolades and greater glories. But speaking of their FIFA World Cup success, the Argentine has yet again edged out, winning his first trophy in 2022. Meanwhile, Ronaldo, who played the same number of World Cup editions, is yet to win his maiden trophy.
In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, CR7 and Portugal have exited in the Round of 16 stage. The reigning European champions, Spain, stood as their kryptonite, beating them 1-0. On the other hand, Messi-led Argentina faces Spain in the final, seeking back-to-back World Cup titles.
