Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: World Cups, quick hat-tricks and Emile Heskey’s scoring feats — 11 records Barcelona and Real Madrid stars have NOT broken
LIONEL MESSI and Cristiano Ronaldo may be the two best players of all-time and seemingly have nothing left to achieve — but that is absolutely not the case.
Barcelona's Argentine sensation achieved yet another record when he equalled the Nou Camp's all-time free-kick record with 26.
While Ronaldo's latest Ballon d'Or win means the pair are now the only two to have won at least four, although Messi has five.
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The Real Madrid striker made yet more history with a hat-trick as Los Blancos battered Atletico 3-0 in the Champions League semi-final, so what more can he and his rival do?
Well, quite a lot actually — here are 11 records the pair have yet to break
Most goals in European Cup finals
ALFREDO DI STEFANO and Ferenc Puskas top the list with seven each — while the current formidable duo are lagging way behind with just two apiece.
Neither Messi nor Ronaldo have even managed to score in the same final.
Even Chelsea flop Hernan Crespo did that.
In 1960, Di Stefano scored three and Puskas hit four as Real Madrid battered Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3.
Most European Cup/Champions League victories
FRANCISCO GENTO stands alone as the only player to have won Europe's top prize on a staggering SIX occasions — all with Real Madrid from 1956 to 1966.
While, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Di Stefano all managed five successes.
Messi, to his credit, has won four — along with Barcelona team-mates, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique (who won one with Manchester United) as well as Clarence Seedorf.
Ronaldo is languishing behind on 'just' three.
Champions League success with different teams
RONALDO could potentially match Seedorf’s record of winning the Champions League with three different teams, should he join Paris Saint-Germain at some point in the future and win it with the French side.
The 31-year-old, of course, previously won it with United, to go with his two victories at Real Madrid.
Messi needs to get on the move quickly if he is going to stand any chance.
Seedorf was victorious with Ajax, Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan.
Scored for multiple clubs
CAN either break Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s record of scoring for six different teams in the competition?
Despite never winning the competition, the Swede has enjoyed individual success at every club.
He scored for Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan and PSG.
That is double the amount of teams Messi and Ronaldo and notched for put together.
Back-to-back Champions League hat-tricks
NEITHER have ever scored trebles in consecutive Champions League games?!
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Luiz Adriano — who Milan are currently trying to flog to absolutely anyone — did it for Shakhtar Donetsk in 2014 in games home and away against BATE Borisov.
Messi could really do with a two-legged tie against Arsenal this season!
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Most goals in a single European season
BELIEVE it or not, there was a time when United and Chelsea flop Radamel Falcao was genuinely world class.
And in that period he once netted a whopping 18 goals during the 2010-11 season as Porto secured the Europa League title.
Messi's best is some way off on 14, while Ronaldo came close in 2014 when he hit 17.
And he scored 16 during the last, victorious campaign.
But, neither have been able to achieve what Falcao has. Yes, you did read that right.
Goals in most different Champions League seasons
RONALDO has managed to find the back of the net in 12 different Champions League seasons.
With Messi having gone one better.
But both still have a little way to go before they catch Ryan Giggs on 16.
Fastest Champions League hat-trick
REMARKABLY, former Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis has scored the Champions League’s fastest treble, needing just eight minutes as Lyon battered Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 in 2011.
Messi once netted a hat-trick against Arsenal in 22 minutes — while only 16 minutes separated the Barca ace’s second and fourth in his five-goal haul against Bayer Leverkusen in 2012.
And Ronaldo’s quickest treble is his 12-minute showing against Malmo earlier last season.
Though, when we're criticising players for the speed of their hat-tricks, you know they must be pretty good.
Won a World Cup
IT’S the one major blotch on either’s copybook.
Ronaldo has at least ensured he has enjoyed some international success as Portugal won Euro 2016.
But he has yet to better the achievement of Eusebio and Co. when they finished third at the 1966 World Cup.
For Messi, however, it's the one stick people who don't want him to be seen as the greatest ever can use to beat him with.
He has lost THREE Copa America finals as well as the 2014 World Cup final.
Diego Maradona was instrumental as Argentina were world champions in 1986, and that was at a time when non-Europeans were ineligible for the Ballon d'Or — so who knows how many he would have won!
And it's one point which will always be held against him.
Scored more Prem goals than Emile Heskey
HE’S been an icon for derision for many years — but the former Leicester and Liverpool
forward has netted an impressive 110 Prem goals.
More than the likes of Didier Drogba and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
And, of course, Ronaldo — who left on 84, while Messi is languishing way behind on zero.
But we give the Argentina superstar two seasons to match Heskey’s tally if he moved to Manchester City in the future.
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Won a trophy with Newcastle
IT JUST can’t be done.
This could actually be the hardest task in football.
No matter how good of an opportunity Newcastle are presented with, they will somehow fail.