Cristiano-Messi. Messi-Cristiano. A ‘The Last Dance’ in Qatar. The last dance of two players who have marked a rivalry on the pitch throughout this beginning of the 21st century. Both appeared almost simultaneously: Cristiano, in 2003. Messi, a year later. Portugal witnessed their first minutes as professionals. Starting in 2006, at the World Cup in Germany, a rough fight began to see who was better. Leading their teams, their national teams… Qatar is emerging as the final point in the international aspect of two footballers who left their mark with two completely different styles. Age passes for everyone. They will continue playing, yes, but this sixth World Cup may be the end point of their presence in an event of these characteristics.
Their numbers in the World Cups
Mark every 211′
Attend every 737′
Influences every 164′
Mark every 271′
Attend every 325′
Influences every 148′
Their numbers in the World Cups
Mark every 211′
Attend every 737′
Influences every 164′
Mark every 271′
Attend every 325′
Influences every 148′
their numbers in
the World Cups
Mark every 211′
Attend every 737′
Influences every 164′
Mark every 271′
Attend every 325′
Influences every 148′
His accented winning personality has seen both Portugal and Argentina relive their glory days of late. Cristiano has led the Portuguese to win the 2016 Euro Cup (he barely played 25 minutes in the final before being substituted due to injury) and the first edition of the Nations League in 2019. For his part, Messi has also returned the honeys of the triumph leading the Albiceleste to lift the Copa América against Brazil (0-1) and in the Maracana itself and the Finalissima against Italy at Wembley (0-3). Two tremendous blows of authority in less than a year and in the run-up to this World Cup in Qatar…
With almost 200 matches played (Cristiano has 191 so far), Portugal has taken a leap in quality that has been reinforced with its latest victories at a competitive level. The surprise of beating France in the final of the 2016 Euro Cup, added to the League of Nations, has placed it on a similar scale to the one it had in the 1960s when Eusebio’s Portugal finished third in the World Cup. England 1966. Messi, for his part, has been the leader of Argentina, and as has happened with Portugal, his recent successes (Copa América and Finalissima) finally put him in the position he deserves within the santoral of Argentine players..
A curious fact appears in the list of the most thrashed teams by the two cracks: Estonia. Both Messi and Cristiano have one of their favorite victims in the Baltic country. More striking is the case of the Argentine: he scored five goals in a friendly played in El Sadar, Pamplona, although his favorite victim is Bolivia with eight goals in 11 games. For his part, the Portuguese has scored four goals in three games. For Cristiano, however, playing against Luxembourg is synonymous with goals: nine goals in 10 games…
most thrashed teams
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Sweden
Hungary
Andorra
Swiss
Armenia
Latvia
Faroe Islands
North Ireland
#107
#131
#22
#28
#174
#eleven
#80
#99
#100
#109
Ecuador
bolivian
Venezuela
Uruguay
Chili
Paraguayan
Panama
Nigeria
Colombia
Bosnia Herzegovina
#47
#78
#60
#13
#fifteen
#fifty
#56
#46
#twenty
#twenty-one
Goals by FIFA ranking
(official matches)
most thrashed teams
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Sweden
Hungary
Andorra
Swiss
Armenia
Latvia
Faroe Islands
North Ireland
#107
#131
#22
#28
#174
#eleven
#80
#99
#100
#109
Ecuador
bolivian
Venezuela
Uruguay
Chili
Paraguayan
Panama
Nigeria
Colombia
Bosnia Herzegovina
#47
#78
#60
#13
#fifteen
#fifty
#56
#46
#twenty
#twenty-one
Goals by FIFA ranking
(official matches)
selections
more goals
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Sweden
Hungary
Andorra
Swiss
Armenia
Latvia
Faroe Islands
Northern Ireland
#107
#131
#22
#28
#174
#eleven
#80
#99
#100
#109
Ecuador
bolivian
Venezuela
Uruguay
Chili
Paraguayan
Panama
Nigeria
Colombia
Bosnian H.
#47
#78
#60
#13
#fifteen
#fifty
#56
#46
#twenty
#twenty-one
Goals by FIFA ranking
(official matches)
With Cristiano in search of a new record to leave in his World Cup history (if he scores it will be the fifth consecutive World Championship in which he achieves it), Messi aims to score in what would be his third consecutive World Cup (He already did it in Germany 2006, but he couldn’t pierce the rival networks four years later, in South Africa 2010). However, his influence on the different styles of his teams becomes more palpable with his presence: Cristiano influences every 164 minutes (scores, scores or participates in goal value actions) with his Portugal team, while Argentina depends more on Messi: with he, the Albiceleste does it every 148 minutes.
Curiously, both players have played against teams that are within the top 75 positions in the FIFA ranking, although In Cristiano, it stands out that he has also been measured against teams with a lower coefficient (From 76 to 211, San Marino, which is the last position in the current ranking). The Portuguese has 54 matches against nations whose number in the FIFA ranking appears beyond position 75. For his part, The Argentine barely has 19 interventions against that number in the FIFA ranking. What’s more, Cristiano, for example, has in his career matches against teams like Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Azerbaijan…
They have never scored a goal
Albanian
Brazil
England
Turkey
Italy
Macedonia
Cape Verde
liechtenstein
Chili
Austria
#72
#two
#10
#31
#7
#83
#120
#137
#4
#10
Netherlands
Qatar
Italy
Belgium
Greece
Sweden
Iceland
Japan
Romania
Norway
#9
#66
#6
#eleven
#13
#19
#22
#30
#33
#35
Rivals by FIFA ranking
Messi He plays most of his matches against opponents who are in the top 75 of the rankings.
FIFA ranking, playing very few games against lower level rivals.
Christian He also plays most of his matches against TOP75 rivals, but he also plays a
considerable number of games against rivals of lower levels.
According to the FIFA World Ranking
SOURCE: michelacosta.com and own elaboration
They have never scored a goal
Albanian
Brazil
England
Turkey
Italy
Macedonia
Cape Verde
liechtenstein
Chili
Austria
#72
#two
#10
#31
#7
#83
#120
#137
#4
#10
Netherlands
Qatar
Italy
Belgium
Greece
Sweden
Iceland
Japan
Romania
Norway
#9
#66
#6
#eleven
#13
#19
#22
#30
#33
#35
Rivals by FIFA ranking
Messi He plays most of his matches against opponents who are in the top 75 of the rankings.
FIFA ranking, playing very few games against lower level rivals.
Christian He also plays most of his matches against TOP75 rivals, but he also plays a
considerable number of games against rivals of lower levels.
According to the FIFA World Ranking
SOURCE: michelacosta.com and own elaboration
have never been
scored a goal
Albanian
Brazil
England
Turkey
Italy
Macedonia
Cape Verde
liechtenstein
Chili
Austria
#72
#two
#10
#31
#7
#83
#120
#137
#4
#10
Netherlands
Qatar
Italy
Belgium
Greece
Sweden
Iceland
Japan
Romania
Norway
#9
#66
#6
#eleven
#13
#19
#22
#30
#33
#35
rivals for
FIFA ranking
Messi He plays most of his matches against
rivals that are in the first 75 places
of the FIFA ranking, playing very few games against
lower tier rivals.
Christian He also plays most of his matches
against TOP75 rivals, but also plays a
considerable number of games against rivals of
lower levels.
According to the FIFA World Ranking
SOURCE: michelacosta.com and own elaboration