Before the opening match of EURO 2024, Ronaldo had played 207 matches for the Portuguese national team in official tournaments and had 130 goals. Meanwhile, Messi's number was 108 goals after 182 matches. This is the most goals and second in the list of the most goals scored for the national team in history.

Ronaldo's national team career began in 2003, Messi's in 2005. When CR7 first played for Portugal, the two current members of the "European Selecao" attending EURO 2024, Antonio Silva and Joao Neves, were not even born.

Ronaldo and Messi have similar goals per game ratios for their national teams (0.63 and 0.59). If Messi started earlier or finished later than his colleague, he could even up the score.

Messi and Ronaldo are symbols of endurance. Together, they have played 31,462 minutes for the national team (nearly 22 consecutive days). To achieve that, in addition to extraordinary will, both M10 and CR7 also showed maximum professionalism.

To achieve such a terrible scoring record, Ronaldo and Messi need a lot of help from their teammates. In the past 21 years, CR7 has played with 139 teammates. Messi's number from 2005 to now is 168, although he has played 25 fewer matches than his colleague.

The player Ronaldo has played with the most times for Portugal is Joao Moutinho (111 matches). For Messi, it is Javier Mascherano (111 matches). Messi has played with Angel Di Maria in 109 matches, meaning Mascherano's record could be broken in the summer at the 2024 Copa America.

Ronaldo has 14 goals at EURO (most) and Messi has 13 goals at World Cup, after Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals), Brazil's Ronaldo (15) and West Germany's Gerd Muller (14).

Messi has played 3 more international friendlies than Ronaldo (57 compared to 54) but the number of goals in these matches, El Pulga has more than CR7 by 29 goals. Part of the reason comes from M10's hat-tricks. Messi has so far scored 9 hat-tricks for the national team, 6 of which have come in friendly matches. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has never scored 3 or more goals in a friendly match.

EURO 2024 is the 11th major tournament Ronaldo has participated in, this number is Messi with Copa America 2024 and 12. CR7 has scored in the previous 10 tournaments while Messi is 9/11 times. The most goals Ronaldo has scored in a major tournament is EURO 2020 (5 goals) helping him win the Golden Boot. CR7 was also the best scorer at EURO once in 2012 (3 goals).

In terms of scoring style, Ronald is more versatile than Messi. While CR7 can score consistently with his left foot, right foot and head, Messi often only uses his left foot to turn it into a unique move.

In the national team, Ronaldo and Messi rarely score when the match goes into extra time. Proof is that Messi only did this once in the 2022 World Cup final. The pair usually score the most goals around the 46th - 60th minute (beginning of the second half).

Finally, where they score. Ronaldo is in Europe so most of his goals will come in EUROs, friendlies or the Nations League. Messi, on the other hand, is more concentrated in South America. The only time they have met in a major tournament (the blue and red dots next to each other) is the World Cup.