5 Cristiano Ronaldo international records Lionel Messi will struggle to break
The Cristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi debate will rage on for eternity as both players have done enough to stake their claim to the throne. Lionel Messi has finally been able to achieve glory on the international stage by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
He was a one-man army of sorts at the recently concluded competition. Cristiano Ronaldo took home the Golden Boot at Euro 2020 but was unfortunate to have been eliminated in the Round of 16 by Belgium. This was followed by Portugal's shock loss to Morocco in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still going strong
It's fair to say that both Ronaldo and Messi are still going strong. Both players are well into their 30s. While the Portuguese international is 39-years-old, Messi will turn 37 in June.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been synonymous with records ever since they kicked into gear in their early 20s. Without further ado, let's take a look at five international records of Cristiano Ronaldo which Lionel Messi will struggle to break.
#5 Most international hat-tricks - 10
Cristiano Ronaldo is nearly impossible to contain once he hits his stride. His 63 career hat-tricks are a testament to that fact. Out of those 63, ten hat-tricks have come on the international stage for Portugal.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi has scored nine international hat-tricks for Argentina.
#4 Most FIFA World Cups scored in - 5
Cristiano Ronaldo has a reputation for stepping up when the stakes are high. He has come to the rescue of his side right when it has mattered the most and changed the course of games through his individual brilliance.
Ronaldo has scored in five FIFA World Cups in his career. He scored in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. By doing so, he has surpassed a list of elite footballers such as Pele, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler. Lionel Messi has scored in 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022 but not in 2010.