When it comes to UEFA Champions League dominance, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo’s records, achievements have defined modern football history with their extraordinary goal-scoring and consistent performances in European competitions. Can Messi vs Ronaldo Champions League goals truly compare—when weighing all-time scoring dominance, goals-per-game efficiency, and record hat-tricks?
Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer with 140 goals in 183 appearances, the most assists (42), and a record five UCL titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid. He also earned the top scorer award in the Champions League a record seven seasons, achieved the most goals in a single season (17 goals in 2013–14), and scored in 11 consecutive UCL matches—a feat unmatched in the modern era.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi left Europe with 129 UCL goals in 163 appearances, including 38 assists, boasting a slightly higher goals-per-game ratio (~0.79 vs. Ronaldo’s ~0.77). Messi holds numerous records as well: most goals in a single UCL group stage campaign (80 group-stage goals), most goals in the round-of-16 (29), and goals scored against the most different opponents (40).
Despite this, Messi’s four UCL titles all came with Barcelona, trailing Ronaldo’s five, yet he remains close behind in many knockout stage metrics and efficiency measures.
Messi vs Ronaldo Champions League Goals – Statistics & Achievements
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the Champions League all-time scoring record with 140 goals. He also played the most matches (183), provided the most assists (42), scored the most penalties (19), and is the only player to score in three UCL finals across different clubs
Messi holds the record for the most group-stage goals (80), most round-of-16 goals (29), and has played and scored for a record 40 different UCL opponents. He also holds the record for the most goals for a single club in UCL history (120 for Barcelona)
UCL Statistics & Achievements of Messi and Ronaldo
Messi leads with 8 Ballon d’Or titles, 6 Golden Shoes, and two Laureus Sportsman of the Year awards, and Ronaldo excels with 5 Ballon d’Or wins, 3 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year awards, and holds all-time scoring records in multiple leagues. The Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry has been the pinnacle of the soccer world over the past decades.
These figures reflect their European legacies before Ronaldo’s departure in late 2022 and Messi’s move in mid‑2023, underlining their status as two of the greatest players in Champions League history. Here are Messi vs Ronaldo Champions League Goals, Assists, Appearances, Titles and more.
| Category | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| UCL Goals | 140 goals in 183 appearances | 129 goals in 163 appearances |
| UCL Assists | 42 assists (all-time leader) | 38 assists |
| Appearances | 183 matches | 163 matches |
| Champions League Titles | 5 (Manchester United & Real Madrid) | 4 (all with Barcelona) |
| Top Scorer Seasons | 6 seasons as UCL top scorer | 5 seasons as UCL top scorer |
| Most Goals in One Season | 17 goals in 2013–14 (record) | 14 goals in 2011–12 |
| Hat‑tricks in UCL | 8 hat‑tricks (shared record) | 8 hat‑tricks |
| Goals per Game Ratio | ~0.77 goals per match | ~0.79 goals per match |
