Ronaldo vs Messi: A Penalty Showdown Since Leaving Europe

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two of the greatest footballers in history, continue to break records in their post-Europe careers.

However, when it comes to penalties, their performances have taken distinctly different paths.

Ronaldo’s Impressive Spot-Kick Stats

Ronaldo, now 40, has remained as sharp as ever from the penalty spot. Over his career, he’s scored a spectacular 175 penalties, having taken 208 in total.

Since joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has stepped up to the spot 27 times, converting 25 for a striking 92.6% success rate. Add to that, four successful penalties for Portugal during the same period, and it’s clear that Ronaldo hasn’t slowed down.

A significant 25.3% of Ronaldo’s goals in Saudi Arabia have come from penalties, underlining how integral spot-kicks have been to his scoring tally.

Messi’s Minimal Penalty Input

On the other hand, Messi has taken a very different approach since moving to Inter Miami in 2023. Despite scoring 52 goals for the MLS side, only two have been from the penalty spot. This accounts for just 3.8% of his goals in the United States.

Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has taken only two penalties across all competitions, scoring both for a perfect 100% conversion rate.

Surprisingly, he hasn’t taken any penalties for Argentina in regular time during this period and even missed one in a Copa America shootout against Ecuador.

The Difference in Numbers

The obvious reason for their contrasting penalty stats lies in their teams’ circumstances. Al-Nassr has been awarded significantly more penalties than Inter Miami in recent seasons.

During the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League, Al-Nassr earned 13 penalties, nine of which Ronaldo took. However, Messi’s Inter Miami only received one penalty throughout the 2024 MLS campaign, which Messi converted against Nashville.

Ronaldo’s dominant role in spot-kicks is clear. Since joining Al-Nassr, the team has been awarded 37 penalties, with Ronaldo taking 27 of them—a commanding 72.9%. Meanwhile, Inter Miami has had just eight penalties awarded since Messi’s arrival, with the Argentine stepping up to only two of them—a mere 25%.

Messi has often passed penalty duties to teammates like Luis Suarez, Leonardo Campana, and Josef Martinez, reflecting a more collaborative approach.

Full Breakdown

Messi’s Penalty Record Since Leaving Europe

• Inter Miami
  
  Penalties Taken: 2
  
  Penalties Scored: 2
  
  Conversion Rate: 100%
  
  
• Argentina
  
  Penalties Taken: 0
  
  Penalties Scored: 0
  
  Conversion Rate: N/A
  
  
• Overall
  
  Penalties Taken: 2
  
  Penalties Scored: 2
  
  Conversion Rate: 100%
  
  

Ronaldo’s Penalty Record Since Leaving Europe

• Al-Nassr
  
  Penalties Taken: 27
  
  Penalties Scored: 25
  
  Conversion Rate: 92.6%
  
  
• Portugal
  
  Penalties Taken: 6
  
  Penalties Scored: 4
  
  Conversion Rate: 66.7%
  
  
• Overall
  
  Penalties Taken: 33
  
  Penalties Scored: 29
  
  Conversion Rate: 87.9%
  
  

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may still be lighting up the global stage in their twilight years, but when it comes to penalties since leaving Europe, their contrasting approaches speak volumes about their teams, roles, and styles of leadership.

Source: planetfootball

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