Despite a surprising defeat in their previous match, Inter Miami convincingly triumphed over Nashville SC in the 2025 MLS playoffs, advancing to the quarterfinals as clear favorites. Lionel Messi’s outstanding performance was crucial to their victory; he scored a brace and provided an assist, reaching the remarkable milestone of 400 career assists. With this achievement, the Argentine star is placed ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in this regard.
Throughout the 2025 season, Lionel Messi has maintained top form with Inter Miami, scoring 29 goals and providing 19 assists, leading the league in both categories. His exceptional performance has propelled the Argentine to reach a milestone of 400 career assists, solidifying his status as one of the greatest creative players in history. Additionally, he is nearing an unprecedented 900 career goals.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo trails Messi significantly in assists. Over his career, the Portuguese star has accumulated 259 assists, a commendable achievement that places him among the game’s elite in this aspect. Despite potentially having several games left in his career, after his recent contract renewal with Al Nassr through 2027, he has only managed to tally 21 assists in 122 appearances since joining the club, raising doubts about his ability to close the gap with Messi.
Lionel Messi’s stunning 2025 performance is leaving Cristiano Ronaldo behind
In 2025, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue to demonstrate why they are still among the world’s best players. However, the Argentine has outperformed the Portuguese star in terms of overall performance during this period. At 38 years old, the Inter Miami star has scored 44 goals and provided 21 assists in 50 games, totaling 4,178 minutes of play, according to ESPN.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF celebrates after scoring with teammate Luis Suárez
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has played only 41 games in 2025, scoring 37 goals and contributing just 3 assists over 3,538 minutes, as reported by ESPN. Although his performance remains impressive for a 40-year-old, he has not surpassed Messi, who also boasts several titles with Inter Miami—an achievement the Portuguese player has yet to accomplish with Al Nassr.
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Messi’s Inter Miami and Ronaldo’s Al Nassr reportedly in race to sign Argentina World Cup winner
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: the 1000-goal race is heating up, and one is unstoppable
Lionel Messi takes the spotlight in assists and delivers the standout performance of 2025, but Cristiano Ronaldo dominates when it comes to goals. Across 1,296 matches, the Portuguese legend has racked up 953 goals, positioning himself among the greatest scorers in history, just 47 shy of the 1,000-goal mark. On the other hand, the Argentine star has found the back of the net 894 times in 1,133 games, leaving him with a 106-goal gap to the same milestone.
