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Lionel Messi Seeks to Dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo as Top Club World Cup Scorer

Strategic Insights

Jun 14, 2025 — 1 min read

As the 2024 Club World Cup begins in New Jersey, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami is poised to make a bid for history by surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's record of seven goals in the tournament. With Ronaldo opting to stay at Al-Nassr, Messi sees an opportunity to claim the top spot in the Club World Cup's all-time scoring list. This summer's competition marks the fourth appearance for Messi, who has won the tournament three times in the past, scoring five goals in five appearances.

Key Takeaways:

Cristiano Ronaldo has played at four Club World Cups, scoring seven goals, and has won the tournament on each occasion.
The competition format has changed, with 32 teams now participating, compared to the previous format where teams entered at the semi-final stage.
Lionel Messi has won the Club World Cup three times, scoring five goals in five appearances.
Messi's most recent appearance in the Club World Cup was in 2015, where he scored in Barcelona's 3-0 victory over River Plate in the final.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a hat-trick in the 2016 final against Kashima Antlers, and also scored in the semi-finals and final of the 2017 tournament.
Messi has a long history in the Club World Cup, dating back to 2009, where he scored from the bench on his debut against Atlas.

Statistics:

Cristiano Ronaldo has played in 4 Club World Cups, scoring 7 goals.
Lionel Messi has played in 3 Club World Cups, scoring 5 goals.
The 2024 Club World Cup features 32 teams, a significant increase from the previous format.
Ronaldo's hat-trick in the 2016 final against Kashima Antlers is one of the most notable achievements in Club World Cup history.
Messi's tying goal against Santos in 2011 was a pivotal moment in his development as a Club World Cup champion.

Sources:

Ronaldo's current team, Al-Nassr
Inter Miami's roster for the 2024 Club World Cup
The FIFA website's archives of past Club World Cup tournaments
ESPN's coverage of the 2015 Club World Cup
UEFA.com's report on Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick in the 2016 Club World Cup final.

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