Cristiano Ronaldo scores against 163rd different club as Al-Faisaly joins his record-breaking list: How does Lionel Messi’s total compare?

Cristiano Ronaldo continues his pursuit of soccer history as Al-Nassr faced Al-Faisaly in the Saudi Pro League, with the Portuguese forward closing in on another remarkable career milestone. While the 41-year-old remains focused on reaching 1,000 goals, his latest achievement has added another chapter to his long-running statistical rivalry with Lionel Messi.

Al-Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Al-Faisaly, strengthening its position in the Saudi Pro League title race. Abdullah Al-Hamdan opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Ronaldo doubled the advantage with a header in the 49th minute from a João Félix free kick.

The Portuguese captain briefly appeared to have scored again shortly afterwards, but VAR ruled out his second effort for offside. Theo Bongonda pulled one back for Al-Faisaly in the 66th minute, raising hopes of a comeback before substitute Angelo Gabriel sealed the victory with a finish in the 79th.

Ronaldo’s header took his career tally to 982 goals in 1,341 appearances, leaving him 18 short of the unprecedented 1,000-goal feat. The forward had remained on 981 since scoring against Neftchi Fargona on October 12, making his latest strike a significant step towards the landmark.

How many different clubs have Ronaldo and Messi scored against?

Ronaldo’s latest achievement also adds to his record of scoring against 163 different clubs across 49 countries, according to official stats. Al-Faisaly joined that list after the Portuguese star found the net in the Saudi Pro League encounter.

Messi’s total is lower, although the Argentine has also built an extraordinary record across his career with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami. Messi has scored against at least 117 different clubs, as per El Grafico, leaving Ronaldo with a sizeable advantage in the overall number of distinct opponents he has scored against.

Figures can vary depending on the source, the competitions included and how clubs are counted, so the totals should be treated with that context in mind. Messi reached the 100-club milestone with Miami in August 2023, when he scored against Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup, and has continued adding opponents since moving to Major League Soccer.

Messi holds his own in Champions League comparison

Although Ronaldo leads in the overall number of different clubs scored against, Messi has been particularly prolific against a wide range of opponents in the UEFA Champions League. The supplied statistics credit Messi with scoring against 40 different teams in the competition, compared with Ronaldo’s 38.

The contrast reflects their different career paths. The Portuguese has played across several domestic leagues, including Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia, giving him opportunities to face a wider variety of club opponents.

Messi, meanwhile, spent most of his European career at Barcelona before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and then Inter Miami. His sustained success in Spain and Europe nevertheless helped him build an exceptional record against elite opposition.