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Assists (Opta™ criteria) given by Messi vs Ronaldo in club competitions

Opta stands out as the most reliable statistics hub and serves as the de facto ‘official’ statistics provider in football. They furnish data to esteemed platforms such as the BBC, the Premier League, WhoScored, Squawka, and numerous other prominent media outlets.

Below is Opta’s interpretation of an assist:

The final touch (pass, pass-cum-shot or any other touch) leading to the recipient of the ball scoring a goal. If the final touch is deflected by an opposition player, the initiator is only given a goal assist if the receiving player was likely to receive the ball without the deflection having taken place. Own goals, directly taken free kicks, direct corner goals and penalties do not get an assist awarded.

Cumulative distribution

PeriodLionel MessiCristiano RonaldoDifference
2002/200304-4
2003/2004010-10
2004/2005018-18
2005/2006326-23
2006/2007640-34
2007/20081947-28
2008/20093656-20
2009/20104764-17
2010/20117080-10
2011/201210095+5
2012/2013115107+8
2013/2014129121+8
2014/2015156142+14
2015/2016179157+22
2016/2017195168+27
2017/2018213176+37
2018/2019232186+46
2019/2020257191+66
2020/2021269196+73
2021/2022283199+84
2022/2023308203+105
2023/2024321216+105
2024/2025339220+119
2025/2026339222+117

Assists type

Compiled using Opta™ data from 2009 to present, for the following competitions:
Copa América, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup Qualifier, La Liga, Ligue 1, MLS, Premier League, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Euro, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Nations League
Player Games Cross Corner Throughball Free kick Others
Leo Messi 688 26/260 10% 8/260 3.08% 90/260 34.62% 15/260 5.77% 138/260 53.08%
Cristiano Ronaldo 640 15/148 10.14% 0/148 0% 17/148 11.49% 2/148 1.35% 116/148 78.38%

Source: Opta™ Sports – Last update: 02/10/2025

Distribution by season

PeriodLionel MessiCristiano RonaldoDifference
2002/20034-4
2003/20046-6
2004/20058-8
2005/200638-5
2006/2007314-11
2007/2008137+6
2008/2009179+8
2009/2010118+3
2010/20112316+7
2011/20123015+15
2012/20131512+3
2013/201414140
2014/20152721+6
2015/20162315+8
2016/20171611+5
2017/2018188+10
2018/20191910+9
2019/2020255+20
2020/2021125+7
2021/2022143+11
2022/2023254+21
2023/202413130
2024/2025184+14
2025/20262-2
Totals Per game
Team Games Goals Assists Goals Assists Contrib.
FC Barcelona 778 672 269 0.86 0.35 1.21
PSG 75 32 34 0.43 0.45 0.88
Inter Miami 83 73 36 0.88 0.43 1.31
Totals 936 777 339 0.83 0.36 1.19
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi 38 years, 4 months, 6 days
Totals Per game
Team Games Goals Assists Goals Assists Contrib.
Sporting CP 31 5 4 0.16 0.13 0.29
Real Madrid 438 450 120 1.03 0.27 1.30
Juventus 134 101 20 0.75 0.15 0.90
Manchester Utd 346 145 57 0.42 0.16 0.58
Al-Nassr FC 120 106 21 0.88 0.18 1.06
Totals 1069 807 222 0.75 0.21 0.96
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo 40 years, 8 months, 25 days

Last games:

MLS Cup ·
Inter Miami vs Nashville SC
Inter Miami 3-1 Nashville SC
Messi, 90′
Goal Goal
 
24-10-2025
King Cup · Round of 16
Al-Nassr FC vs Al-Ittihad
Al-Nassr FC 1-2 Al-Ittihad
C. Ronaldo, 90′
 
 
28-10-2025