Lionel Messi, at 38 years old, has won the 2024–25 Major League Soccer Golden Boot, scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists in 28 matches. He outperformed LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, leading to discussions about Cristiano Ronaldo‘s individual awards at 40 years old.
This achievement adds to Messi’s impressive list of awards, highlighting his remarkable consistency and long career. Recently, he showcased his skills with a hat trick against Nashville SC, showing he can still make a significant impact on games.
Messi now has over 110 individual accolades in his career, solidifying his status in soccer history.
Messi’s impressive individual honors
His notable awards include:
FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- 8 Ballon d’Or awards (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) — the highest in soccer history.
- 6 European Golden Shoes, awarded for being Europe’s top scorer six times.
- 3 FIFA The Best awards (2019, 2022, 2023).
- 2 World Cup Golden Balls (2014, 2022).
- 9 La Liga MVP awards and 8 Pichichi trophies for being Spain’s top scorer.
Including additional honors like 6 Champions League top scorer titles, 2 Copa America MVP awards, and 16 FIFPro World XI selections, Messi’s total clearly exceeds 110 awards. His performance over nearly two decades is unmatched in modern soccer.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s career awards
Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo has amassed a remarkable list of individual awards. Now at 40 years old, the Al Nassr forward has received over 100 major individual honors, affirming his status as a top player.
His achievements include 5 Ballon d’Or awards (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017), 4 European Golden Shoes, and 2 FIFA The Best awards (2016, 2017). He has also been the UEFA Champions League top scorer seven times and UEFA Best Player in Europe four times. His continued success in Europe and Saudi Arabia highlights his competitive spirit.
Additionally, Ronaldo holds records for being the all-time top scorer in international soccer (141 goals) and in UEFA Champions League (140 goals), recognized with special awards by FIFA and UEFA. His enduring quality keeps him among the elite players.
Two legends continuing their journey
As Messi leads in the U.S. Golden Boot race and Ronaldo sets new records in Saudi Arabia, both players continue to redefine greatness. Messi has scored 889 career goals and Ronaldo 949, keeping their rivalry alive and captivating fans worldwide.