It is one of the UEFA Champions League's best sub-plots: Lionel Messi against Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the all-time scoring charts.
The pair ended season 2014/15 level on 77 goals but Ronaldo has since pulled away; after getting off the mark in his second spell for Manchester United, he leads 140–129 in terms of UEFA Champions League strikes. In all UEFA club competition action, the scoreline stands at 144–132 in the Portuguese forward's favour – which includes Messi's nine efforts so far for Paris.
UEFA.com has listed all of Messi's and Ronaldo's UEFA Champions League goals since they first hit the target at this level – picking out some noteworthy stats amid the numbers.
Key stats
- Ronaldo was the first to reach 100 goals with a single club, achieving the mark for Real Madrid on 14 February 2018; Messi completed his century, all for Barcelona, exactly a month later.
- Messi has been on the losing side just four times when he has scored.
- 2017/18 was the seventh season running that Ronaldo scored ten goals or more in the UEFA Champions League.
- Messi has now scored in 18 successive UEFA Champions League seasons, one more than Karim Benzema with Ronaldo scoring in 16.
- Ronaldo has netted twice or more on 38 different occasions.
- Each has bagged eight hat-tricks.
- Ronaldo did not score until his 27th game in the competition for first club United, but took just 13 minutes to hit the target in his second stint.
- Ronaldo is the first player to amass 50 knockout goals, and is now past 60.
- Ronaldo is the only player to score in three UEFA Champions League finals.
- Ronaldo is the only player to score in 11 consecutive appearances in the competition proper.
- Ronaldo's ten goals against former club Juventus are more than anyone has scored against a single opponent.
- Messi leads Ronaldo 80–73 in all-time group stage goals.
- Ronaldo took 137 games to reach 100, Messi 123.
- Messi's 120 goals for Barcelona eclipsed Ronaldo's single-club high of 105 at Real Madrid.
Messi and Ronaldo's goal by goal record
Goals in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final: Messi's first 120 goals came for Barcelona before he registered strikes nos. 121–126 for new club Paris; meanwhile, Ronaldo's were scored for Manchester United (1–15, 135–140), Real Madrid (16–120) and Juventus (121–134).
| Messi | Ronaldo |
| Goal | Opponent | Date | Opponent | Date |
| 1 | Panathinaikos (h), 5-0 | 02/11/05 | Roma (h), 7-1 | 10/04/07 |
| 2 | Werder Bremen (a), 1-1 | 27/09/06 | Roma (h), 7-1 | 10/04/07 |
| 3 | Lyon (h), 3-0 | 19/09/07 | Milan (h), 3-2 | 24/04/07 |
| 4 | Stuttgart (a), 2-0 | 02/10/07 | Sporting CP (a), 1-0 | 19/09/07 |
| 5 | Rangers (h), 2-0 | 07/11/07 | Dynamo Kyiv (a), 4-2 | 23/10/07 |
| 6 | Lyon (a), 2-2 | 27/11/07 | Dynamo Kyiv (a), 4-2 | 23/10/07 |
| 7 | Celtic (a), 3-2 | 20/02/08 | Dynamo Kyiv (h), 4-0 | 07/11/07 |
| 8 | Celtic (a), 3-2 | 20/02/08 | Sporting CP (h), 2-1 | 27/11/07 |
| 9 | Shakhtar (a), 2-1 | 01/10/08 | Lyon (h), 1-0 | 04/03/08 |
| 10 | Shakhtar (a), 2-1 | 01/10/08 | Roma (a), 2-0 | 01/04/08 |
| 11 | Basel (a), 5-0 | 22/10/08 | Chelsea (n), 1-1 | 21/05/08 |
| 12 | Basel (h), 1-1 | 04/11/08 | Internazionale (h), 2-0 | 11/03/09 |
| 13 | Sporting CP (a), 5-2 | 26/11/08 | Porto (a), 1-0 | 15/04/09 |
| 14 | Lyon (h), 5-2 | 11/03/09 | Arsenal (a), 3-1 | 05/05/09 |
| 15 | Bayern (h), 4-0 | 08/04/09 | Arsenal (a), 3-1 | 05/05/09 |
| 16 | Bayern (h), 4-0 | 08/04/09 | Zürich (a), 5-2 | 15/09/09 |
| 17 | Man Utd (n), 2-0 | 27/05/09 | Zürich (a), 5-2 | 15/09/09 |
| 18 | Dynamo Kyiv (h), 2-0 | 29/09/09 | Marseille (h), 3-0 | 30/09/09 |
| 19 | Dynamo Kyiv (a), 2-1 | 09/12/09 | Marseille (h), 3-0 | 30/09/09 |
| 20 | Stuttgart (h), 4-0 | 17/03/10 | Marseille (a), 3-1 | 08/12/09 |
| 21 | Stuttgart (h), 4-0 | 17/03/10 | Marseille (a), 3-1 | 08/12/09 |
| 22 | Arsenal (h), 4-1 | 06/04/10 | Lyon (h), 1-1 | 10/03/10 |
| 23 | Arsenal (h), 4-1 | 06/04/10 | Milan (h), 2-0 | 19/10/10 |
| 24 | Arsenal (h), 4-1 | 06/04/10 | Ajax (a), 4-0 | 23/11/10 |
| 25 | Arsenal (h), 4-1 | 06/04/10 | Ajax (a), 4-0 | 23/11/10 |
| 26 | Panathinaikos (h), 5-1 | 14/09/10 | Auxerre (h), 4-0 | 08/12/10 |
| 27 | Panathinaikos (h), 5-1 | 14/09/10 | Tottenham (h), 4-0 | 05/04/11 |
| 28 | København (h), 2-0 | 20/10/10 | Tottenham (a), 1-0 | 13/04/11 |
| 29 | København (h), 2-0 | 20/10/10 | Ajax (h), 3-0 | 27/09/11 |
| 30 | København (a), 1-1 | 02/11/10 | Lyon (a), 2-0 | 02/11/11 |
| 31 | Panathinaikos (a), 3-0 | 24/11/10 | Lyon (a), 2-0 | 02/11/11 |
| 32 | Arsenal (h), 3-1 | 08/03/11 | CSKA Moskva (a), 1-1 | 21/02/12 |
| 33 | Arsenal (h), 3-1 | 08/03/11 | CSKA Moskva (h), 4-1 | 14/03/12 |
| 34 | Shakhtar (a), 1-0 | 12/04/11 | CSKA Moskva (h), 4-1 | 14/03/12 |
| 35 | Real Madrid (a), 2-0 | 27/04/11 | APOEL (h), 5-2 | 04/04/12 |
| 36 | Real Madrid (a), 2-0 | 27/04/11 | APOEL (h), 5-2 | 04/04/12 |
| 37 | Man Utd (n), 3-1 | 28/05/11 | Bayern (h), 2-1 | 25/04/12 |
| 38 | BATE (a), 5-0 | 28/09/11 | Bayern (h), 2-1 | 25/04/12 |
| 39 | BATE (a), 5-0 | 28/09/11 | Man City (h), 3-2 | 18/09/12 |
| 40 | Viktoria Plzeň (a), 4-0 | 01/11/11 | Ajax (a), 4-1 | 03/10/12 |
| 41 | Viktoria Plzeň (a), 4-0 | 01/11/11 | Ajax (a), 4-1 | 03/10/12 |
| 42 | Viktoria Plzeň (a), 4-0 | 01/11/11 | Ajax (a), 4-1 | 03/10/12 |
| 43 | Milan (a), 3-2 | 23/11/11 | Dortmund (a), 1-2 | 24/10/12 |
| 44 | Leverkusen (a), 3-1 | 14/02/12 | Ajax (h), 4-1 | 04/12/12 |
| 45 | Leverkusen (h), 7-1 | 07/03/12 | Man Utd (h), 1-1 | 13/02/13 |
| 46 | Leverkusen (h), 7-1 | 07/03/12 | Man Utd (a), 2-1 | 05/03/13 |
| 47 | Leverkusen (h), 7-1 | 07/03/12 | Galatasaray (h), 3-0 | 03/04/13 |
| 48 | Leverkusen (h), 7-1 | 07/03/12 | Galatasaray (a), 2-3 | 09/04/13 |
| 49 | Leverkusen (h), 7-1 | 07/03/12 | Galatasaray (a), 2-3 | 09/04/13 |
| 50 | Milan (h), 3-1 | 03/04/12 | Dortmund (a), 1-4 | 24/04/13 |
| 51 | Milan (h), 3-1 | 03/04/12 | Galatasaray (a), 6-1 | 17/09/13 |
| 52 | Spartak Moskva (h), 3-2 | 19/09/12 | Galatasaray (a), 6-1 | 17/09/13 |
| 53 | Spartak Moskva (h), 3-2 | 19/09/12 | Galatasaray (a), 6-1 | 17/09/13 |
| 54 | Celtic (a), 1-2 | 07/11/12 | Copenhagen (h), 4-0 | 02/10/13 |
| 55 | Spartak Moskva (a), 3-0 | 20/11/12 | Copenhagen (h), 4-0 | 02/10/13 |
| 56 | Spartak Moskva (a), 3-0 | 20/11/12 | Juventus (h), 2-1 | 23/10/13 |
| 57 | Milan (h), 4-0 | 12/03/13 | Juventus (h), 2-1 | 23/10/13 |
| 58 | Milan (h), 4-0 | 12/03/13 | Juventus (a), 2-2 | 05/11/13 |
| 59 | Paris (a), 2-2 | 02/04/13 | Copenhagen (a), 2-0 | 10/12/13 |
| 60 | Ajax (h), 4-0 | 18/09/13 | Schalke (a), 6-1 | 26/02/14 |
| 61 | Ajax (h), 4-0 | 18/09/13 | Schalke (a), 6-1 | 26/02/14 |
| 62 | Ajax (h), 4-0 | 18/09/13 | Schalke (h), 3-1 | 18/03/14 |
| 63 | Milan (a), 1-1 | 22/10/13 | Schalke (h), 3-1 | 18/03/14 |
| 64 | Milan (h), 3-1 | 06/11/13 | Dortmund (h), 3-0 | 02/04/14 |
| 65 | Milan (h), 3-1 | 06/11/13 | Bayern (a), 4-0 | 29/04/14 |
| 66 | Man City (a), 2-0 | 18/02/14 | Bayern (a), 4-0 | 29/04/14 |
| 67 | Man City (h), 2-1 | 12/03/14 | Atlético (n), 4-1 | 25/05/14 |
| 68 | Paris (a), 2-3 | 30/09/14 | Basel (h), 5-1 | 16/09/14 |
| 69 | Ajax (h), 3-1 | 21/10/14 | Ludogorets (a), 2-1 | 01/10/14 |
| 70 | Ajax (a), 2-0 | 05/11/14 | Liverpool (a), 3-0 | 22/10/14 |
| 71 | Ajax (a), 2-0 | 05/11/14 | Basel (a), 1-0 | 26/11/14 |
| 72 | APOEL (a), 4-0 | 25/11/14 | Ludogorets (h), 4-0 | 09/12/14 |
| 73 | APOEL (a), 4-0 | 25/11/14 | Schalke (a), 2-0 | 18/02/15 |
| 74 | APOEL (a), 4-0 | 25/11/14 | Schalke (h), 3-4 | 10/03/15 |
| 75 | Paris (h), 3-1 | 10/12/14 | Schalke (h), 3-4 | 10/03/15 |
| 76 | Bayern (h), 3-0 | 06/05/15 | Juventus (a), 1-2 | 05/05/15 |
| 77 | Bayern (h), 3-0 | 06/05/15 | Juventus (h), 1-1 | 13/05/15 |
| 78 | Roma (h), 6-1 | 24/11/15 | Shakhtar (h), 4-0 | 15/09/15 |
| 79 | Roma (h), 6-1 | 24/11/15 | Shakhtar (h), 4-0 | 15/09/15 |
| 80 | Leverkusen (a), 1-1 | 09/12/15 | Shakhtar (h), 4-0 | 15/09/15 |
| 81 | Arsenal (a), 2-0 | 23/02/16 | Malmö (a), 2-0 | 30/09/15 |
| 82 | Arsenal (a), 2-0 | 23/02/16 | Malmö (a), 2-0 | 30/09/15 |
| 83 | Arsenal (h), 3-1 | 16/03/16 | Shakhtar (a), 4-3 | 25/11/15 |
| 84 | Celtic (h), 7-0 | 13/09/16 | Shakhtar (a), 4-3 | 25/11/15 |
| 85 | Celtic (h), 7-0 | 13/09/16 | Malmö (h), 8-0 | 08/12/15 |
| 86 | Celtic (h), 7-0 | 13/09/16 | Malmö (h), 8-0 | 08/12/15 |
| 87 | Man City (h), 4-0 | 19/10/16 | Malmö (h), 8-0 | 08/12/15 |
| 88 | Man City (h), 4-0 | 19/10/16 | Malmö (h), 8-0 | 08/12/15 |
| 89 | Man City (h), 4-0 | 19/10/16 | Roma (a), 2-0 | 17/02/16 |
| 90 | Man City (a), 1-3 | 01/11/16 | Roma (h), 2-0 | 08/03/16 |
| 91 | Celtic (a), 2-0 | 23/11/16 | Wolfsburg (h), 3-0 | 12/04/16 |
| 92 | Celtic (a), 2-0 | 23/11/16 | Wolfsburg (h), 3-0 | 12/04/16 |
| 93 | Mönchengladbach (h), 4-0 | 06/12/16 | Wolfsburg (h), 3-0 | 12/04/16 |
| 94 | Paris (h), 6-1 | 08/03/17 | Sporting CP (h), 2-1 | 14/09/16 |
| 95 | Juventus (h), 3-0 | 12/09/17 | Dortmund (a), 2-2 | 27/09/16 |
| 96 | Juventus (h), 3-0 | 12/09/17 | Bayern (a), 2-1 | 12/04/17 |
| 97 | Olympiacos (h), 3-1 | 18/10/17 | Bayern (a), 2-1 | 12/04/17 |
| 98 | Chelsea (a), 1-1 | 20/02/18 | Bayern (h), 4-2 | 18/04/17 |
| 99 | Chelsea (h), 3-0 | 14/03/18 | Bayern (h), 4-2 | 18/04/17 |
| 100 | Chelsea (h), 3-0 | 14/03/18 | Bayern (h), 4-2 | 18/04/17 |
| 101 | PSV (h), 4-0 | 18/09/18 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 02/05/17 |
| 102 | PSV (h), 4-0 | 18/09/18 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 02/05/17 |
| 103 | PSV (h), 4-0 | 18/09/18 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 02/05/17 |
| 104 | Tottenham (a), 4-2 | 03/10/18 | Juventus (n), 4-1 | 03/06/17 |
| 105 | Tottenham (a), 4-2 | 03/10/18 | Juventus (n), 4-1 | 03/06/17 |
| 106 | PSV (a), 2-1 | 28/11/18 | APOEL (h), 3-0 | 13/09/17 |
| 107 | Lyon (h), 5-1 | 13/03/19 | APOEL (h), 3-0 | 13/09/17 |
| 108 | Lyon (h), 5-1 | 13/03/19 | Dortmund (a), 3-1 | 26/09/17 |
| 109 | Man Utd (h), 3-0 | 16/04/19 | Dortmund (a), 3-1 | 26/09/17 |
| 110 | Man Utd (h), 3-0 | 16/04/19 | Tottenham (h), 1-1 | 17/10/17 |
| 111 | Liverpool (h), 3-0 | 01/05/19 | Tottenham (a), 1-3 | 01/11/17 |
| 112 | Liverpool (h), 3-0 | 01/05/19 | APOEL (a), 6-0 | 21/11/17 |
| 113 | Slavia Praha (a), 2-1 | 23/10/19 | APOEL (a), 6-0 | 21/11/17 |
| 114 | Dortmund (h), 3-1 | 27/11/19 | Dortmund (h), 3-2 | 06/12/17 |
| 115 | Napoli (h), 3-1 | 08/08/20 | Paris (h), 3-1 | 14/02/18 |
| 116 | Ferencváros (h), 5-1
| 20/10/20 | Paris (h), 3-1 | 14/02/18 |
| 117 | Juventus (a), 2-0 | 28/10/20 | Paris (a), 2-1 | 06/03/18 |
| 118 | Dynamo Kyiv (h), 2-1 | 04/11/20 | Juventus (a), 3-0 | 03/04/18 |
| 119 | Paris (h), 1-4 | 16/02/21 | Juventus (a), 3-0 | 03/04/18 |
| 120 | Paris (a), 1-1 | 10/03/21 | Juventus (h), 1-3 | 11/04/18 |
| 121 | Man. City (h), 2-0 | 28/09/21 | Man Utd (h), 1-2 | 07/11/18 |
| 122 | Leipzig (h), 3-2 | 19/10/21 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 12/03/19 |
| 123 | Leipzig (h), 3-2 | 19/10/21 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 12/03/19 |
| 124 | Club Brugge (h), 4-1 | 07/12/21 | Atlético (h), 3-0 | 12/03/19 |
| 125 | Club Brugge (h), 4-1 | 07/12/21 | Ajax (a), 1-1 | 10/04/19 |
| 126 | Maccabi Haifa (a), 3-1 | 14/09/22 | Ajax (h), 1-2 | 16/04/19 |
| 127 | Benfica (a), 1-1 | 05/10/22 | Leverkusen (h), 3-0 | 01/10/19 |
| 128 | Maccabi Haifa (h), 7-2 | 25/10/22 | Leverkusen (a), 2-0 | 11/12/19 |
| 129 | Maccabi Haifa (h), 7-2
| | Lyon (h), 2-1 | 07/08/20 |
| 130 |
|
| Lyon (h), 2-1
| 07/08/20 |
| 131 |
| | Ferencváros (h), 2-1 | 24/11/20 |
| 132 | | | Dynamo Kyiv (h), 3-0 | 02/12/20 |
| 133 | | | Barcelona (a), 3-0 | 08/12/20 |
| 134 | | | Barcelona (a), 3-0 | 08/12/20 |
| 135 | | | Young Boys (a), 1-2 | 14/09/21 |
| 136 | | | Villarreal (h), 2-1 | 29/09/21 |
| 137 | | | Atalanta (h), 3-2 | 20/10/21 |
| 138 | | | Atalanta (a), 2-2 | 02/11/21 |
| 139 | | | Atalanta (a), 2-2 | 02/11/21 |
| 140 | | | Villarreal (a), 2-0 | 23/11/21 |
All stats are group stage to final only.
Other UEFA club competition goals:
Messi: Porto 2-0 (n), 26/08/2011, UEFA Super Cup; v Sevilla 5-4aet x 2 (n), 11/08/2015, UEFA Super Cup
Ronaldo: Debrecen 3-0 (h), 09/08/05, UEFA Champions League third qualifying round; Sevilla 2-0 x 2 (n), 12/08/2014, UEFA Super Cup; Sheriff 3-0 (h), 27/10/22, UEFA Europa League group stage
Last updated 27/10/2022
