The 2026 World Cup is about to begin, and somehow — impossibly — both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still here. Sixth tournament. Fourth decade. Before the whistle blows, here's how the World Cup scoreboard actually shakes out.

The Tale of the Tape

Stat	Messi	Ronaldo
Tournaments	6 (2006–2026)	6 (2006–2026)
Matches	26	22
Goals	13	8
Assists	8	2
Goal involvements	21	10
World Cup trophies	1 (2022)	0
World Cup Golden Balls	2	0
Unique record	—	Only player to score in 5 straight WCs

How We Got Here

2006 — The Origin Stories

19-year-old Messi came off the bench for Argentina wearing #19, scored his first World Cup goal against Serbia & Montenegro. 21-year-old Ronaldo rode alongside Portugal's golden generation, finished fourth. Two teenagers, same stage, completely different arrivals.

2010 — Reality Check

Both were now the faces of their national teams. Messi went scoreless as Argentina got destroyed by Germany in the quarters. Ronaldo managed one goal before Spain knocked Portugal out.

2014 — The One That Still Hurts

Messi at the Maracanã, staring at the trophy he couldn't touch — four goals, one assist, Player of the Tournament, then Mario Götze in extra time. Ronaldo played through injury, one goal, Portugal out in the group stage.

2018 — Peak Solo Drama

Ronaldo's hat-trick against Spain — including that late free-kick — was the individual performance of the tournament. Messi scored to keep Argentina alive vs Nigeria; Mbappé's France sent both home in the round of 16.

Messi lifting the World Cup trophy in 2022

2022 — The Coronation

Messi: 7 matches, 7 goals, 3 assists. Two goals in the greatest final of all time. Won the shootout, lifted the trophy, removed the last asterisk from his legacy.

Ronaldo: 5 matches, 1 goal. Benched in the knockouts. Walked off in tears after losing to Morocco.

The Verdict

One got the fairy tale ending. One didn't. That's not an opinion — it's what happened.

Ronaldo's record of scoring in five consecutive World Cups is genuinely untouchable. And here they both are in 2026, late thirties, possibly for the last time. The rivalry is over on the spreadsheet — but there's still one more chapter to write.

Key Takeaways

The Tale of the Tape

How We Got Here

2006 — The Origin Stories

2010 — Reality Check

2014 — The One That Still Hurts

2018 — Peak Solo Drama

2022 — The Coronation

The Verdict

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more World Cup goals — Messi or Ronaldo?

Has Ronaldo ever won the World Cup?

What World Cup record does Ronaldo hold over Messi?

How did Messi and Ronaldo perform at World Cup 2022?

Are Messi and Ronaldo playing World Cup 2026?

world cup golden ball

Messi vs Ronaldo at the World Cup — The Final Score