Goals, trophies and records from two careers that rewrote football's history books.
Both players are closing in on 1,000 career goals for club and country.
Approximate career totals for club and country as of autumn 2026. Figures change every week and differ slightly between sources.
The headline numbers side by side. The longer bar shows who leads each category.
The biggest individual and team honours from two remarkable careers.
A few of the milestones that set these two apart from every other player.
All-time leading scorer in men's international football.
The leading scorer in the history of the Champions League.
The first man to score at five different World Cups.
More Ballon d'Or wins than any other player in history.
Best player of the 2014 and 2022 World Cups.
Holds the record for the most World Cup appearances.
Numbers only tell part of the story. Relive the goals and the journey behind them.
Two players pushed each other to the top of the game for more than a decade. Here is how they compare.
Two different styles, one shared standard, and a debate that fans will never finish.