Cristiano Ronaldo overtakes Lionel Messi in unique goals tally after scoring in Al-Nassr’s win over Al-Fateh
Cristiano Ronaldo overtook Lionel Messi in non-penalty goals for club and country for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday (February 17).
The 39-year-old - who scored the winner in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 first leg at Al-Feiha in midweek - opened the scoring inside 17 minutes at home to Al-Fateh.
Salem Al Najdi restored parity for the visitors 12 minutes later, but Luis Castro's side had the last laugh as Otavio's 72nd-minute winner sealed all three points. The win took Luis Castro's side to within four points of leaders Al-Hilal (53), who have a game in hand.
Ronaldo's latest strike was his 715th non-penalty strike for club and country, as per Sport Bible, one clear of his arch-rival Messi, who plies his trade at MLS side Inter Miami.
It's the 39-year-old's second competitive strike in as many games on the season resumption after a mid-season break. Ronaldo now has 26 goals and 11 assists in 27 games across competitions.
That includes league-leading tallies of 21 goals and nine assists in 19 games in the league.
How has Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fared in international football?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the greatest players and most lethal goalscorers in game history.
Despite being on the wrong side of 30, they are still going strong, having amassed over 800 goals for club and country. Unsurprisingly, the duo are among the three most prolific goalscorers in men's international football.
While Ronaldo leads the pack with 128 goals in 205 games - both record tallies - Messi is third on the list with 106 goals in 180 outings. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is just three goals behind Iran's Ali Daei, who scored 109 times in 148 games, the best strike rate among the trio.
However, both Ronaldo and Messi have won multiple silverware in international football. While the Portuguese has won the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, Messi has won the Copa America, FIFA World Cup and Finalissima.