Messi vs Ronaldo in 2017: the 500th goal and the three-peat.

Messi edged 2017 by a single goal, 54 to 53 — his sixth-best year against Ronaldo's joint eighth. Both scored the defining goals of their respective seasons within six weeks of each other.

On 23 April, Messi equalised at the Bernabéu on 33 minutes and then won a 3–2 Clásico in the 92nd with his 500th Barcelona goal, holding his shirt up to the home end in the most replayed celebration of the rivalry. On 3 June, Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid beat Juventus 4–1 in the Champions League final in Cardiff, completing the only three consecutive European Cups of the modern era.

In August, Messi scored what this site records as the variety hat-trick against Real Betis: a free kick, a header and a tap-in.

Ronaldo took his fifth Ballon d'Or, levelling Messi at five each — the last time either would be level with the other. Zinedine Zidane, who managed him to three of those Champions Leagues, said he never had to motivate him, and called the era the two shared "the best period this sport has ever had."

The one-goal margin makes 2017 the closest year of the rivalry after 2011, which was decided by one goal as well. 2017 is also the last of the 9 consecutive years in which the two scored more than 100 between them; from 2019 onwards they never did again.