Comparing Lionel Messi’s & Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible trophy cabinets

The debate around which of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is better may finally have been solved following the former’s World Cup triumph. But, for those that still need convincing, we’ve had a look at how the pair’s ridiculously stacked trophy cabinets compare.

Messi and Ronaldo are without doubt the two greatest players of their generation. Between them, they have scored over 1500 career goals and provided numerous moments of incredible skill or match-winning prowess.

They have also picked up nine Champions Leagues, 17 domestic league titles, two senior international tournament crowns and dozens of other collective and individual accolades.

Following his World Cup heroics, Messi recently collected his latest individual accolade as he beat the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema to The Best FIFA Men’s Player award for 2022.

There are plenty out there who would like to make the argument for one player over the other, but Messi and Ronaldo generally prefer to avoid stoking controversy. In fact, it seems they don’t mind each other at all.

“We’re colleagues,” Ronaldo told Marca in 2014. “We’re work friends, so to speak, and so, obviously, we don’t have a relationship outside the world of football, just as we don’t with a lot of other players.

“He tries to do his best for his club and for his national team, as I do, and there is a degree of rivalry with both of us trying to do the best for the teams we represent… We have to look on this rivalry with a positive spirit because it’s a good thing.”

In 2018, when Ronaldo moved to Juventus from Real Madrid, Messi told FM Club 947: “Although it was a bit difficult to see him win trophies, he gave La Liga prestige.”

Which of them, though, has the larger collection of silverware? We’ve broken down both the prizes they’ve won with their respective clubs and national teams and those they’ve taken as individuals.

Note: for the years in which the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or were merged, we have counted the award as a Ballon d’Or. We have also not included top scorer or tournament-specific individual awards, only those for which players in any European league are eligible.

Lionel Messi

Team

Domestic

La Liga: 10 (2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19)

Ligue 1: 1 (2021-22)

Copa Del Rey: 7 (2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21)

Spanish Super Cup: 8 (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019)

Trophee des Champions: 1 (2022)

European

Champions League: 4 (2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15)

UEFA Super Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)

Other

FIFA Club World Cup: 3 (2009, 2011, 2015)

International

World Cup: 1 (2022)

Copa America: 1 (2021)

Olympics: 1 (2008)

Total: 40

Individual

Ballon d’Or: 7 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021)

FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Men’s Player: 3 (2009, 2019, 2022)

FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2 (2014, 2022)

UEFA Best Player in Europe: 2 (2011, 2015)

Total: 14

Cristiano Ronaldo

Team

Domestic

Premier League: 3 (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09)

La Liga: 2 (2011-12, 2016-17)

Serie A: 2 (2018-19, 2019-20)

English League Cup: 2 (2005-06, 2008-09)

FA Cup: 1 (2003-04)

Copa Del Rey: 2 (2010-11, 2013-14)

Coppa Italia: 1 (2020-21)

Portuguese Super Cup: 1 (2002)

Community Shield: 1 (2007)

Spanish Super Cup: 2 (2013, 2018)

Italian Super Cup: 2 (2019, 2021)

European

Champions League: 5 (2007-08, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18)

UEFA Super Cup: 2 (2014, 2017)

Other

FIFA Club World Cup: 4 (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017)

International

UEFA European Championship: 1 (2016)

UEFA Nations League: 1 (2019)

Total: 32

Individual

Ballon d’Or: 5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)

FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Men’s Player:  3 (2008, 2016, 2017)

UEFA Best Player in Europe: 3 (2014, 2016, 2017)

Total: 11