Lionel Messi turns 38 and remains a global soccer superstar. But where was Cristiano Ronaldo at that age?
Lionel Messi turns 38 this Tuesday, June 24. Despite his age, he continues to be one of the most influential players in the sport, currently leading Inter Miami in their campaign at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. But how does Leo’s current form compare to where Cristiano Ronaldo was at the same age?
CR7, the other major global icon of this soccer era, is slightly older than Messi. While the Argentine forward was born on June 24, 1987, the Portuguese player was born on February 5, 1985. That means Cristiano is nearly two and a half years older than Lionel.
Ronaldo turned 38 in early 2023, which coincided with his move to Saudi Arabia. He had recently left Manchester United to join Al Nassr just a couple of months prior, and his birthday came as he was beginning a new chapter in a country and league previously unfamiliar to him.
At the time he turned 38, Cristiano had just scored his first goal for Al Nassr two days earlier — a penalty against Al Fateh in a 2–2 draw in the Saudi Pro League. That goal brought his club-level tally to 702. Combined with the 118 he had scored for Portugal, his total stood at 820 goals.
In the two and a half years since then, CR7 has added 20 more goals for Portugal and 98 more for Al Nassr. That speaks to his remarkable longevity as a player and cements his status as the all-time leading goalscorer, with a career total of 938 goals.
How many goals has Messi scored at 38?
Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi has shown exceptional staying power. Even at 38, he remains at the pinnacle of world soccer and appears to have several more top-level seasons ahead of him.
At the club level, he has scored 765 goals across stints with Barcelona (2004–2021), Paris Saint-Germain (2021–2023), and Inter Miami (2023–present). With the Argentina national team, he has scored 112 goals since making his debut in 2005. That brings his overall total to 877 goals — 57 more than Cristiano Ronaldo had at the same age.
Who has the better goal-scoring average: Messi or Ronaldo?
Looking at the full scope of both players’ professional careers, one holds a slight edge in goal-scoring efficiency. Lionel Messi has played 1,140 matches for clubs and Argentina, with 877 goals — an average of 0.76 goals per game. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has 938 goals in 1,281 appearances for clubs and Portugal, for an average of 0.73.
From: bolavip.com
