Soccer has been blessed in the last 20 years by the presence of two of the greatest players ever to grace the game. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the sport in a way that no one else has been able to do so. In the process, the pair forged a rivalry for the ages, pushing each other to be the best version of themselves.
The upcoming generation of players has a near-impossible task in front of them to replicate the success and greatness that Ronaldo and Messi have achieved.
Now in the twilight of their careers, both the players are still going strong. Ronaldo is still active, playing in Saudi Arabia for Al Nassr while his counterpart is displaying his genius in the USA, playing for Inter Miami.
While their careers at the top in Europe might be over, millions of fans around the world tune into their games to catch their brilliance week after week. Over the years, they have held nearly every record in their name, making history day in and day out. Despite that, some European feats have still not been accomplished by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Here is a look at five of them.
Fastest UEFA Champions League goal
Ronaldo and Messi are no strangers to holding records when it comes to scoring goals. However, the fastest UEFA Champions League goal in history does not belong to them but to Roy Makaay.
The former Dutch soccer player found the back of the net just 10.12 seconds into the game playing for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid during the 2006/07 season.
As far as the finals are concerned, AC Milan legend, Paolo Maldini scored the fastest-ever goal against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final after just 53 seconds.
Ronaldo and Messi have hit the back of the net four and two times respectively in their career in Champions League finals but have not been able to come any close to the Italian icon.
Accomplishments with various clubs
The Portuguese captain has been associated with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus during his time in Europe. He has achieved Champions League success with United in 2009 and on four other occasions with Madrid.
This puts him just one short of Clarence Seedorf who holds the prestige of winning the European Cup with three different clubs- Ajax, AC Milan, and Real Madrid. Lionel Messi on the other hand, has lifted the Champions League trophy only with FC Barcelona.
The ever-famous figure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic is at the top when it comes to this incredible feat. The striker played for a plethora of clubs in European soccer, scoring goals for six of them in the Champions League- Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Most goals in a single season’s knockout phase
With 269 goals between them in the biggest club competition in the world, Ronaldo and Messi have amazed the soccer community with their excellence in front of goal. Nevertheless, it is the Hungarian legend, Ferenc Puskas who is the proud bearer of the record for scoring the most number of goals in a single season’s knockout stages with 12 during the 1959-60 season, playing for Real Madrid.
Most Champions League trophies
The two greatest players of all time have lifted the European crown nine times in total. The Argentinian legend has four triumphs to his name while his long-time competitor has five. The most successful player, though, is the Real Madrid legend Paco Gento who won the tournament a staggering six times.
Gento achieved this remarkable piece of history by being a key member of the Real Madrid squad during the initial years of the Champions League.
Most appearances for a single club
While Cristiano Ronaldo has appeared in the highest number of fixtures in the competition, his tally has been achieved playing for various clubs over the continent.
Xavi Hernandez and Thomas Muller hold the record for most appearances for a single club, with 151 for both, playing for FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively. Muller is set to go ahead of the Barcelona legend, considering his Bayern Munich journey is far from over.