Lionel Messi achieved yet another landmark in his storied career in the process of putting Chelsea to the sword on Wednesday evening.
The Argentine star scored twice in Barcelona's 3-0 win at the Nou Camp, sealing a comfortable 4-1 aggregate win, to make him the second player to reach a century of Champions League goals.
Of course, Messi will be all-too-aware that the first player to achieve 100 goals in the competition was his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
So with both players now into three figures in Europe's most prestigious competition, we compare how they got there.
Messi's second goal against Chelsea, in the 63rd-minute, brought up his century in the Champions League and it has taken him 123 matches to reach the milestone.
Ronaldo reached the landmark when he scored a hat-trick in the second leg of Real Madrid's quarter-final with Bayern Munich on April 18, 2017 - that was his 137th game in the competition.
So it has taken Messi 14 matches fewer to achieve a century of Champions League goals. In terms of minutes, Messi needed 10,090 while Ronaldo required 11,848.
Messi also reached 100 goals from fewer shots - 524 attempts as opposed to the 790 needed by Ronaldo to get to his century.
And in an indication that because of their respective ages one day Messi might overtake Ronaldo as the all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League, Messi was 30 years and 263 days when he scored his 100th goal, while Ronaldo was 32 years and 72 days.
Messi opened his Champions League account in just his fifth outing in the competition for Barcelona, scoring in a 5-0 group stage victory over Panathinaikos on November 2, 2005. He was 18 at the time.
Ronaldo needed 27 Champions League appearances for Manchester United before he opened his account in the competition proper, scoring twice in that 7-1 quarter-final win over Roma at Old Trafford on April 10, 2007.
However, he had scored in the qualifying round prior to that - in United's 3-0 win over Debrecen on August 9, 2005.
For the record, in the competition proper, 15 of Ronaldo's current tally of 117 goals came during his time at Man United. Including the qualifying round appearances, his Champions League record stands at 118 in 154 matches.
Messi's favourite opponents are Arsenal - he has scored nine goals in six matches against the Gunners in the champions League. Four of these came in one game during the 2009-10 campaign.
The Argentine has scored eight goals against both Milan and Celtic, seven against Bayer Leverkusen, and six against both Manchester City and Ajax.
In total, he has scored 20 goals against teams from the Premier League (nine vs Arsenal, six vs Manchester City, three vs Chelsea, two vs Manchester United).
Of Ronaldo's 117 Champions League goals, the biggest victims have been Bayern Munich with nine scored against them in just six meetings.
Ronaldo has scored seven goals against each of Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Ajax and Schalke, as well as six against each of APOEL Nicosia, Galatasaray and Malmo.
In terms of oneupmanship between the pair, Messi can boast that he has scored five goals in a single Champions League game, unlike Ronaldo.
This quintet of goals came in Barcelona's 7-1 drubbing of Leverkusen in the 2011-12 last-16, second leg.
Messi has also scored four times in a European game once - in the aforementioned match with Arsenal - and has netted five hat-tricks.
Ronaldo has scored four goals in a single Champions League fixture just the once - in their 8-0 win over Malmo in the 2015-16 group phase.
He has scored a hat-trick six times, so has trumped Messi on that one at least.
Messi has scored in 16 different countries in the Champions League. Obviously the majority of these have come in Spain - 59 in all comprising 57 at the Nou Camp and two at the Bernabeu.
He has scored six in England, five in Scotland, four in Germany, four in Ukraine and three in each of France, Italy, Czech Republic and Cyprus.
The other countries Messi has found the net in are Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, Belarus, Russia and Holland.
Of the 118 goals scored by Ronaldo (including the one in qualifying), nine came at Old Trafford - eight for United and one for Real there in 2013. 53 have been scored at the Bernabeu.
He has also scored in 16 different nations, with 14 coming in England, 12 in Germany, six in France, five in Turkey and five in Holland.
Ronaldo has also netted in Portugal, Ukraine, Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Bulgaria, Sweden, Wales and Cyprus.
We know that both Messi and Ronaldo are big game performers - but who has the most goals in the business end of the Champions League?
Messi has scored 40 goals in the knockout stages of the competition, including two in the final and four in semi-finals.
Ronaldo has scored 57 goals during the knockout stages and this includes four goals in the final and 13 in semi-finals.
So there's little doubt that Ronaldo has delivered more when the pressure is really on.
This is an easy one - both Messi and Ronaldo have four Champions League winners medals.
Messi picked up a medal when Barcelona beat Arsenal to win the 2006 final, but he hadn't been involved beyond the last-16 that season after picking up a hamstring injury.
He was then part of Barca's wins in 2009 and 2011, when they beat Manchester United in both finals, and 2015, when they defeated Juventus 3-1 in Berlin.
Ronaldo first won the competition with United back in 2008, scoring with a header in the Moscow final as they ultimately triumphed on penalties.
Following his world record transfer to Real Madrid, he won it again in 2014, scoring the fourth goal of a 4-1 extra time win over Atletico Madrid.
They defeated Atletico again to win in 2016 and he scored twice as Real became the first side to retain the Champions League by beating Juventus 4-1 in Cardiff last season.
Goals are one thing, but how many times have Messi and Ronaldo set up a goal for one of their team-mates in Europe?
Messi has registered 34 assists in Champions League football, but Ronaldo trumps him with 39. Though he has, of course, played in 25 more matches.
Sirhan
558
I don't care who has a better record but this two are simply great
Triparno
388
They both are greatest..... Don't compare them,just enjoy them We are very lucky to seeing them both are playing 😍😍😍😘😘😘[messi][CR7][messi][CR7][messi][CR7][messi][CR7][messi][CR7][messi][CR7][CR7][messi]
prakashcr7
311
Both of them are simply greatest of all time. They are incomparable. They both of them did really phenomenonal job for their team. They both of are legend not only legend actually they are ultralegend. They both of them made brilliant records. `Record are made to be broken' Today most of the records are made by them may be tomorrow someone else broke that record. Cristiano and Lionel made brilliant record for the teams. They never made record to compare each other. Ronaldo made his own record to help his team and to get victory for his team. Messi also made various records for team. They never made such records to compete each other. Cr7 and LM10 are just brilliant. We should enjoy their performance and we should feel proud coz we born on the era of ronaldo and mess so, we got chance to watch them playing. Just enjoy their games today coz yesterday is already gone and Tomorrow might not come. Love one respect both. [messi][CR7][messi][CR7][messi][CR7][pal
Messi1987
207
Ronaldo has more goals but Messi was the fastest to get in 100 in 123 games 14 games fewer then Ronaldo bit Ronaldo has more but Messi goal raio per game is better But lets congradulate Both
tanvirAhamedNejel
155
I am a die hard football fan and i love all footballer i respect to all football team and club. I hope a real football fan agree with me
ilovemessi10god
79
need this
TusharTarang2468
73
Just for a few moments , let's forget everything and enjoy them.
roofysheraz
65
Ronaldo had done it first. But Messi had done it faster. Ronaldo 100th UCL goals in 137 appearances. Messi 100th UCL goals in 123 appearances.
Namor_3110
62
It's quite irritating and honestly baffling how some articles could be so pretentiously one-sided. How come nobody talks about the fact that CR7 scored 100 goals in just 95 games for Real Madrid whereas it took Lionel 28 games more (123 games) to match that feat? Secondly, the analysis overly emphasizes the areas where Messi has bested Ronaldo compared to the areas where CR7 has been clearly superior. Nothing was said about the 17 and 16 goals he scored in two different champions League seasons which remains unmatched till date. Nobody else has even scored 15. His 19 goals in a calendar year (20 17) was also not addressed. His 7 consecutive years of scoring 10 or more goals (unmatched) was mysteriously omitted. His 6 consecutive top scorer of the tournament record (unmatched) is no where to be found either and the author attempts to present the facade of a dispassionate analysis of both players. Laughable! He pays little attention to this brand of injustice though. #CR7
How can u forget that it took Ronaldo 23 years to score a hattrick While it took Messi the same amount of years to do a hattrick of Ballon d'Ors
dahirnasiib
57
i would like to say s’thing about these two guys Rolando is machine has ability to score every side he is fast taller stronger but when he doesn’t score mostly he is not in the game Messi is gifted player even if he doesn’t score he controls the game and will be the man behind every attacking from his team so i do believe they need each other to motivate but comparing each other is totally wrong that is my point of view i could be wrong
poeciliano57
51
salute to both of them...hats off
Amlaniishaan4
51
He would have come on their level if it wasn’t for them
REALMADRIDCR7HAYKO
50
neymar is worth $ 300 million, de gea 100 million, hazard of 100 million and another defender, if the price is real this would be the best of a few million spending and selling benzema, cebalios, kasilias, mayoral, ashraf and teo cheap and good.
Deydeinptz
46
Your article didn't answer many of the questions as for example: 1. Who has won more time in terms of UEFA top Scorer? The answer is Cristiano Ronaldo. 6 times and Messi is 5 times. 2. Who has scored more than 9 goals per season? The answer is Cristiano Ronaldo. Five times for Ronaldo and three times for Messi. 3. Who has the most goals per a single season? it is Cristiano Ronaldo having scored 17 goals as the highest record for all times and his own record he broke of 16 goals per season. while Messi's best record per a season is 14 goals. 4. Ronaldo and Messi are both 5 times winners of UEFA. But who has much contributions and involvement in winning trophies? it is Cristiano Ronaldo who has played great roles in winning all the five trophies by being the pivotal player. Messi has being a pivotal player in winning the four trophies of his five UEFA trophies. Messi's first UEFA trophy came 2006 when he was not a pivotal player and was not involved in winning the trophy rather than being a spectator while his team mates did it win. even though he had played in group stages. 5. Who has registered more goals at the young age ? the answer is Messi. Messi has scored more goals at his young age compared to Ronaldo 6. Who has scored more goals at old age in football( at least 30 yrs in football). it of no doubt that it is Cristiano Ronaldo. This makes Ronaldo alike the wine which gets better and better as years increase. Lastly I must agree that these two players are very great and of the kind the world has seen them play at the very same time in the same league. we must embrace them. in terms of football records it is even impossible to come up with the acceptable conclusion who is better than the other. because every one has records which his rival doesn't has. there are Messi's records in UEFA in which Ronaldo doesn't have. there are Ronaldo's records in UEFA in which is chasing to match or break.
Goalscorer2110
43
They both can't be compared and are just the best in the world. Both are the greatest of all time and hope they have a positive result in the World Cup 2018 Russia. They have achieved everything in club football, and this is the time to achieve something in the international level. Ronaldo is the best in the world as Messi is from another planet.
Pudaers
40
Messi is the God of football
Amlaniishaan4
38
Congo Messi u did it
Sohenmondal
36
They are really the greatest with their skills their playing ways . They have achieved things that it would take long for other players to do so. We should be thankful that we are able to witness such great players . Imagine when the we would say the next generation about this players , they would fully get amazed. Even though they are rivals but they respect each other and share a healthy rivalry
MelvinJr10
35
Messi and Ronaldo are the best in the world Don't compare them by looking their goals. It was their hard work to score more than 100 goals in ucl
Modceyz
33
It doesn't matter how many games but how you have used your game time. Renaldo is hardworking guy when it comes to ICL. Long live CR7
YouKnowZlatan
32
They are both legends, but when it comes to the Champions League there is no roubt that CR7 is King. He has more goals and more assists. And most importantly, he delivers the best when under pressure. He scored against big teams more than he does against small teams. He's the true king!
FCBARCELONA_MESSI10
25
No Need To Compare These Two Legend
KRoy
19
Your article didn't answer many of the questions as for example: 1. Who has won more time in terms of UEFA top Scorer? The answer is Cristiano Ronaldo. 6 times and Messi is 5 times. 2. Who has scored more than 9 goals per season? The answer is Cristiano Ronaldo. Five times for Ronaldo and three times for Messi. 3. Who has the most goals per a single season? it is Cristiano Ronaldo having scored 17 goals as the highest record for all times and his own record he broke of 16 goals per season. while Messi's best record per a season is 14 goals. 4. Ronaldo and Messi are both 5 times winners of UEFA. But who has much contributions and involvement in winning trophies? it is Cristiano Ronaldo who has played great roles in winning all the five trophies by being the pivotal player. Messi has being a pivotal player in winning the four trophies of his five UEFA trophies. Messi's first UEFA trophy came 2006 when he was not a pivotal player and was not involved in winning the trophy rather than being a spectator while his team mates did it win. even though he had played in group stages. 5. Who has registered more goals at the young age ? the answer is Messi. Messi has scored more goals at his young age compared to Ronaldo 6. Who has scored more goals at old age in football( at least 30 yrs in football). it of no doubt that it is Cristiano Ronaldo. This makes Ronaldo alike the wine which gets better and better as years increase. Lastly I must agree that these two players are very great and of the kind the world has seen them play at the very same time in the same league. we must embrace them. in terms of football records it is even impossible to come up with the acceptable conclusion who is better than the other. because every one has records which his rival doesn't has. there are Messi's records in UEFA in which Ronaldo doesn't have. there are Ronaldo's records in UEFA in which is chasing to match or break.
guy wonderful article.. Ronaldo is superior to Messi in cl,i mean Ronaldo had to play 28 matches just to register a goal and Messi did faster because he started from Barça, fr is easier to do rhese things in Spain compared to England, if Ronaldo had started from Spain he would have gotten more and if messi started from England he would not have 100 goals by now.
bayern111
19
Leo, Leo, Leo, YOU ARE THE KING👑