Messi · Argentina
Six tournaments, one trophy.
- 2006Round of 161 ⚽
- 2010Quarter-final0 ⚽
- 2014Final4 ⚽
- 2018Round of 161 ⚽
- 2022Winner7 ⚽
- 2026Final8 ⚽
FIFA World Cup
Messi vs Ronaldo at the World Cup: 21 goals to 11.
Messi has played in six World Cups, reached three finals, won one in Qatar and twice taken home the Golden Ball. Ronaldo has played in six as well, with a best finish of fourth place in 2006.
Messi · 2022
🏆
Beat France on penalties in the final, named tournament best player.
Goals scored
21·11
Across all 6 tournaments each
Golden Balls
2·0
Messi in 2014 and 2022 — unique in tournament history
World Cup totals
6 tournaments- Knockout goals: Messi's figure is the last fully verified total and predates the 2026 World Cup; his 2026 knockout goals are not yet included because no published match-by-match breakdown of his eight goals that tournament was found. His Goals row above does include 2026.
Ronaldo · Portugal
Six tournaments, fourth place his best.
- 2006Fourth place1 ⚽
- 2010Round of 161 ⚽
- 2014Group stage1 ⚽
- 2018Round of 164 ⚽
- 2022Quarter-final1 ⚽
- 2026Round of 163 ⚽
Argentina vs Portugal
The two national teams have met only a handful of times in Messi's and Ronaldo's careers, all in friendlies. Argentina have won the most recent two; the last meeting was a 0–0 in Geneva in 2014, with neither player scoring. They have therefore never met on the pitch at a World Cup despite both qualifying for six tournaments. The closest the brackets ever came was the round of 16 in 2018, when both sides were knocked out on the same day.
Frequently asked
How many World Cups have Messi and Ronaldo played in?+
Both played in six, from 2006 to 2026. Lionel Messi played 34 World Cup matches across those tournaments and Cristiano Ronaldo played 26. The 2026 tournament was the last for both.
Who has scored more World Cup goals, Messi or Ronaldo?+
Lionel Messi, with 21 World Cup goals to Cristiano Ronaldo's 11 — a margin of 10. Messi has also recorded 12 World Cup assists to Ronaldo's 2.
Who performed better at World Cups, Messi or Ronaldo?+
Messi, on every measure the tournament records. He has 21 goals to Ronaldo's 11, 12 assists to 2, 1 World Cup title to Ronaldo's 0, and 2 Golden Balls as player of the tournament to Ronaldo's 0. Ronaldo's best finish was fourth place in 2006; Messi reached three finals and won in 2022.
What did Messi do at the 2022 World Cup?+
Lionel Messi won it. Argentina beat France in the final in Qatar, drawing 3–3 after extra time and winning 4–2 on penalties, with Messi scoring twice in the match. He finished the tournament with 7 goals and was named player of the tournament, taking a record second Golden Ball. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal went out in the quarter-finals of the same tournament, with Ronaldo scoring once.
What happened to Messi and Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup?+
Both played their last World Cup. Messi reached the final with Argentina, scoring 8 goals and adding 4 assists, but Spain won 1–0 after extra time through a Ferran Torres goal. Ronaldo's Portugal went out in the round of 16 to Spain; he scored 3 times, including his first-ever World Cup knockout-stage goal, and became the first player to score at six different World Cups.
Has Ronaldo ever won the World Cup?+
No. Cristiano Ronaldo has never won a World Cup across 6 tournaments; Portugal's best finish with him in the squad was fourth place in 2006. Lionel Messi won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
Both men's last World Cup was 2026, covered year by year on the 2026 page. The tournament wins and losses sit alongside their other national-team honours on the international page and in the trophy table; the penalties either man took in a World Cup are on the penalties page.