THis debate over who is the greatest between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is not over yet – in fact, you could say it will never really end. However, there are objective ways to measure and compare their performance. This time, we look at how many trophies each of them have won since leaving Europe’s top level of competition and trying their luck in apparently inferior leagues.
Lionel Messi, emotional moment celebrating MLS victory on the field with wife and children
The Argentine arrived at Inter Miami in July 2023 to play in Major League Soccer (MLS), while the Portuguese made the same move six months earlier, joining Al Nasr of the Saudi Professional League in January 2023.
Messi has already won the trophy
This is exactly the turning point between the two. Messi actually won a league silver medal in much less time (in addition to the three titles he had already won with Inter Miami before this season), while Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to win an official league title in Saudi Arabia.
Inter Miami’s number 10 claimed:
Leagues Cup 2023 Supporters Shield 2024 Eastern Conference 2025 MLS Cup 2025 (latest)
In 2025 alone, Messi had 29 goals and 19 assists in just 28 regular season games, won the MLS Golden Boot award, was named league MVP, and set a new record for direct goal contributions in the playoffs with 15 (6 goals + 9 assists).
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo was the top scorer in the Saudi Professional League in the 2023-24 season (35 goals) and 2024-25 season (25 goals), and in the 2023 calendar year, he scored a career-high 54 goals, marking the highest scoring season of his career.
When it comes to Messi in particular, it’s safe to say that he completely revolutionized MLS when he came, dramatically increasing stadium attendance and the league’s television visibility. Look at 10.9 million viewers in 2024, an average of 22,000 per game.
In conclusion, it can be said that Messi has had much more success in the United States than CR7 did in Saudi Arabia, but many will continue to have their own case to defend the man they believe to be the greatest of all time.
