Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi suffer continental championship heartbreaks on same day

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :May 1, 2025 at 4:02 PM

Modified at :May 1, 2025 at 4:02 PM

Both greats had a chance to take their side into the final of their respective continental championships.

Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo suffered defeats in their respective continental championships on Wednesday, suffering significant setbacks with their respective sides, Inter Miami and Al Nassr.

Al Nassr and Inter Miami each had an opportunity to advance to the finals of their respective continental tournaments this Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow players faced Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League Elite semifinals, while Lionel Messi’s team failed to overcome a 2-0 first-leg deficit against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.

Neither of them had a good experience. Al Nassr lost 3–2, and the Herons lost 3–1 at home, bringing the tie’s total score to 5–1. Leo and CR7 thus lost the chance to add another championship to their already illustrious careers.

Messi is still the most recognised soccer player in history, though. In addition to his accomplishments with Argentina, he has won 46 trophies during his tenure at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami. This puts him ahead of former teammates Dani Alves (43) and Andres Iniesta (40).

He won four UEFA Champions League crowns, ten LaLiga titles, seven Copa del Rey victories, eight Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups while he was at Barcelona. He added two league championships and a French Super Cup during his two years with PSG.

He has assisted Inter Miami in winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and the 2023 Leagues Cup in Major League Soccer.

▪️ Al-Nassr lose 3-2 in the AFC Champions League semifinal▪️ Inter Miami lose 5-1 (on agg.) in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinalCristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi knocked out of their continental competitions on the same day 😔 pic.twitter.com/ite65RhM7f
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 1, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, has had less success overall in comparison to his career. The 40-year-old attacker is 15th on the all-time list of international soccer champions with 35 trophies from stints at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and the Portugal national side.

He won five Champions League medals, two LaLiga championships, two Copa del Reys, two Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups while he was a member of Real Madrid.

He won two Serie A championships, two Italian Super Cups, and a Coppa Italia during his tenure at Juventus in Italy. He recently won the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup with Al Nassr.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.