The question in this discussion
Looking back at Messi in 2011/12 and Ronaldo in 2013/14, who played better overall, beyond scoring goals?
In the selected seasons, Messi scored 50 La Liga goals to Ronaldo’s 31, while their Champions League totals were 14 and 17. The comparison is Messi’s 2011/12 against Ronaldo’s 2013/14. It neither declares these their definitive best seasons nor uses goals to settle overall ability. [1·4·5·6]
Original discussions
Older references and posts with unconfirmed dates (1)
INTInternational
There is not a single year of messi which is better than 07/08 Ronaldo.
Posted: Not reported
Link and metrics checked: 2026-09-11 12:10:06 UTC
Original page checked
How the figures are counted
Views and comment counts show how active a post is, not how many people agree. The numbers may have changed since we checked. The country label describes the community’s audience. It does not tell you every participant’s nationality.
Photo credits and licences
- Lionel Messi 20180626.jpg — Кирилл Венедиктов (Kirill Venediktov) · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cristiano Ronaldo 2018.jpg — Анна Нэсси (Anna Nessi) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Images are resized and cropped for display. Each photograph retains the licence linked above.
Results and sources belong only to the stated criterion. We do not reuse popularity figures as skill ratings.
Other criteria for these people →What we’re comparing
These seasons are examples of peak form, not established personal best seasons. We compare each selected season and also show both players' goals in both seasons.
Same-season and selected-peak comparisons ask different questions
This page places the players in different seasons. That differs from asking who performed better within one season. La Liga goals are compared with La Liga goals and Champions League goals with Champions League goals, without implying identical opponents or playing conditions.
The leader in goal totals changes by competition. But these figures do not provide matched measurements of chance creation, ball progression or playing time. Judging the more complete player at his peak requires evidence beyond goals. This page provides a limited scoring illustration for that discussion.
Compare the same items
What else to know
The selected seasons and playing time differ. These totals do not show chance conversion. Creating chances and advancing the ball matter for both, but comparable records are missing here, so goals cannot settle overall ability.
Facts we checked
2011/12 La Liga: Messi 50, Ronaldo 46 goals. [7] Champions League: 14, 10. [4] 2013/14 La Liga: Messi 28, Ronaldo 31. [6] Champions League: 8, 17. [5]
Evidence for this comparison
These sources provide background on the topic. We do not use the articles and reports below as evidence for support percentages.
- Leo Messi receives his fifth Golden ShoeFC Barcelona · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
- Cristiano Ronaldo — History and honoursReal Madrid C.F. · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
- 2013–14 UEFA Champions LeagueWikipedia · Secondary reference · Source checked on 2026-09-12
- Season 2011/12 Stats | UEFA Champions League 2011/12UEFA · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
- Season 2013/14 Stats | UEFA Champions League 2013/14UEFA · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
- Ronaldo and Suárez share Golden Shoe accoladeUEFA · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
- Messi Scarpa d’Oro da recordUEFA · See the original sources · Source checked on 2026-09-11
Vote and join the conversation
Visitor poll
This poll is open to visitors who choose to take part. Votes are counted separately from external surveys and do not represent the whole population.
Looking back at Messi in 2011/12 and Ronaldo in 2013/14, who played better overall, beyond scoring goals?
Which side would you choose in this comparison?
Choose another option to change your vote.
Loading…
This article covers the period shown. The current situation may differ.
Sources and updates
- Period covered
- 2011/12 · 2013/14
- Content checked on
- 2026-09-11
What changed
- · Rechecked both sides on the same items and corrected misleading contrasts and question wording.
- · Added a defined scope, arguments for both sides, checked facts and sources.
Comments
Respect different opinions. Abuse, personal attacks, private information and spam may be restricted. Comment guidelines · Privacy policy