Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: One last dance in Saudi Arabia?

The Argentine has been linked with a move to Saudi club AL-Hilal where he can once again meet his rival

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's competition captivated football for over a decade.

Ronaldo, who spent 20 years playing in the top leagues of Europe, has moved with his skills to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia after his agreement with Manchester United was cancelled. Ironically, his first game in the Middle East will pit him against an old foe.

There is a rumour that Al Hilal intend to lure Messi to Saudi Arabia once his PSG agreement finishes at the end of the current campaign because the 35-year-old has nothing left to demonstrate in Europe or on the world stage.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Finance, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, reportedly said that Saudi teams were free to try to obtain both of soccer's best names.

Every Ballon d'Or title was won by Messi and Ronaldo between 2008 and 2017 until Luka Modric of Real Madrid broke their dominance in 2017. Since then, the Argentine has taken home two more awards, giving him a 7-5 advantage over Ronaldo in the competition to be the best player in the world.

Manchester United and Barcelona drew 0-0 in their debut Champions League match as youthful upstarts trying to make their mark in 2008.

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: A never-ending debate

The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, sometimes known as the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry, is an ongoing football rivalry between Argentine player Lionel Messi and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, primarily because they were born at the same time and have similar records and levels of athletic accomplishment.

They frequently clashed while playing for rival teams Barcelona and Real Madrid for nine seasons during the height of their careers.

Journalists and commentators frequently debate the relative merits of the two players in an effort to determine who, in their opinion, is the greatest player to ever play the game of football. Regardless of inclination, football analysts largely concur that both of them are the best players of their generation, significantly exceeding their contemporaries.

While Messi is praised for his ability to combine dribbling, playmaking, passing, and goalscoring, Ronaldo has been praised for his physical characteristics, goalscoring abilities, leadership, as well as performance under pressure.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Ridiculous stats they have set

Together, they set numerous records in the sport, becoming regarded as two of the greatest players ever as a result. With a combined 76 major titles (Messi 42, Ronaldo 34) won during their professional careers to date, they are two of the most accomplished footballers ever.

They frequently break the 50-goal mark in a single season. They are the only two players to have amassed over 800 goals between them for club and nation. The record for the most goals scored in a career is held by Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi

Matches: 1023

Assists: 393

Goals: 805

Cristiano Ronaldo

Matches: 1162

Assists: 268

Goals: 833

Messi vs Ronaldo: Trophies won

Lionel Messi

Barcelona

LaLiga: 10

Copa del Rey: 7

Supercopa de España: 7

Champions League: 4

UEFA Super Cup: 3

FIFA Club World Cup: 3

Paris Saint-Germain

Ligue 1: 1

Argentina

Copa America: 1

Finalissima:

FIFA World Cup: 1

Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United

Premier League: 3

FA Cup: 1

Football League Cup: 2

Community Shield: 1

Champions League: 1

Club World Cup: 1

Real Madrid

La Liga: 2

Copa del Rey: 2

Supercopa de España: 2

Champions League: 5

Club World Cup: 3

UEFA Super Cup: 2

Juventus

Serie A: 2

Coppa Italia: 1

Supercoppa Italiana: 1

Portugal

European Championship: 1

UEFA Nations League: 1