Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been football’s biggest stars for nearly two decades. They have won 13 Ballon d’Or titles combined, with Messi securing eight and Ronaldo five.
The two superstars dominated the sport and set records that may never be broken. Fans have often debated who is better, but now, Transfermarkt analyzes the market values over their careers which reveals a fascinating story.
Messi and Ronaldo are both in the final stages of their incredible journeys. Messi currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami, while Ronaldo continues to shine for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Despite their ages — Ronaldo at 39 years old and Messi at 37 — they remain key figures in global football to this day.
However, their market values have seen significant drops. According to player valuation trackers Transfermarkt, Messi’s current value is €20 million ($21m/£16m), while Ronaldo’s has fallen to €12 million ($12.6m/£10m).
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When Messi overtook Ronaldo?
Ronaldo’s rise came earlier than Messi’s, as he is two years older. Back in 2006, both players had similar values at around €20 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Ronaldo surged ahead in 2008 when he won his first Ballon d’Or, reaching €60 million. Messi, however, quickly caught up and surpassed Ronaldo by 2011.
Between 2012 and 2018, Messi’s market value remained at a steady €120 million, showing his consistency as one of the world’s best players.
Ronaldo, in comparison, had some ups and downs. He hit his peak at €120 million in 2018 during his final season at Real Madrid.
That year, Messi reached his record-high valuation of €180 million. At the time, he was widely regarded as the best player in the world.
Both players saw their values decrease with age. Ronaldo experienced a sharp drop when he moved to Juventus and then further declined after returning to Manchester United.
Messi’s trajectory followed a similar path, but his market value has been higher than Ronaldo’s for the past ten seasons.
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The final chapter
Now in 2024, Messi and Ronaldo remain valuable players despite being near the end of their careers. Ronaldo is still a goal machine for Al-Nassr, while Messi continues to show his brilliance in the MLS. Their current market values may reflect their ages, but their legacies are untouchable.
Fans will forever debate who was better — Messi or Ronaldo. The numbers may favor Messi slightly, but both players have shaped modern football in ways no one else has.
