International records

Messi vs Ronaldo for Their Countries

Ronaldo is the all-time men's international top scorer; Messi has won more international trophies since 2021. International football is where their stories diverged most.

Short answer

Too close to call

Messi wins on titles (World Cup + 2 Copas + Finalissima); Ronaldo wins on goals and longevity (135+ for Portugal).

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By the numbers

Metric

Messi

Ronaldo

International goals

112+

135+ (record)

International caps

190+

215+ (record)

World Cup

1 (2022)

Continental title

Copa 2021 + 2024

Euro 2016

Argentina vs Portugal

Messi's 2021–2024 with Argentina is the most decorated four-year stretch any modern international player has had.

Ronaldo's longevity (135+ goals, still scoring at 40) is its own kind of historic.

Frequently asked

+Who scored more international goals — Messi or Ronaldo?

Ronaldo, with 135+ for Portugal — the all-time men's record.

+How does this compare with the Messi vs Ronaldo debate overall?

Messi wins on titles (World Cup + 2 Copas + Finalissima); Ronaldo wins on goals and longevity (135+ for Portugal). For the full side-by-side across goals, trophies, Ballons d'Or and the World Cup, see our main Messi vs Ronaldo comparison.

Keep reading

The eternal question

Who Is Better — Messi or Ronaldo?

Career stats compared

Messi vs Ronaldo — Full Career Stats (2026)

The GOAT question

Who Is the GOAT — Messi or Ronaldo?

All topics

Every Messi vs Ronaldo comparison on the site — fully indexable.