Ronaldo vs Messi: The Battle of Free-Kicks

In the world of football, the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been a spectacle for over a decade. Every goal, every dribble, every record has been a point of comparison between these two legends. One of the intriguing aspects of this rivalry is their prowess in free kicks. So, who has scored more free-kick goals?

Free-Kick Goals: Messi Takes the Lead

According to data from BeSoccer Pro, Lionel Messi currently leads in the number of free-kick goals. The Argentinian has managed to overtake Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years, despite Ronaldo's historical lead in this area. Messi has scored a total of 62 free-kick goals, including 50 with Barcelona, 10 with Argentina, and two with Paris Saint-Germain. His latest free-kick goal came against Lille while playing for PSG.

Ronaldo's Free-Kick Record

On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 59 free-kick goals in his career. These include 14 with Manchester United, 32 with Real Madrid, 1 with Juventus, 1 with Al-Nassr, and 11 with Portugal. His most recent free-kick goal was for Portugal against Liechtenstein on 23rd March 2023, where he beat the goalkeeper with a stunning free-kick to the top corner from the edge of the box.

The Race Continues

The race for the most free-kick goals continues to be a thrilling aspect of the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry. Despite Ronaldo's longer career in top-flight football, Messi has managed to surpass him in this area. The gap has been drastically reduced over the last few seasons, with Messi scoring 29 free-kick goals compared to Ronaldo's 7 since the end of the 2016-17 season.

As these two football giants continue to compete, fans around the world eagerly await each match, each goal, and each free kick. The question remains: who will end their career with the most free-kick goals?