Lionel Messi has added another trophy to his collection, this time with the 2025 MLS Cup after InterMiami‘s win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. With another final ending in his favor, the comparisons regarding his record have naturally resurfaced. and how it compares to that of an old rival Christiano Ronaldo.
The match against Vancouver started with a deflected cross from Edier Ocampo that resulted in an own goal in the eighth minute, followed by Ali Ahmed’s equalizer in the 60th. But Messi made the difference again, Assisting Rodrigo De Paul for second in Miami and later setting up Tadeo Allende to secure the winmaking the herons the first MLS Cup in franchise history.
With this final triumph, Messi has now played in 51 finals (including two-legged finals) across his career, extending his all-time record to 30 winsthe most of any player in football history. The other finals resulted in eight draws and thirteen defeats.
His previous club final came earlier in 2025, when Inter Miami was defeated 3-0 by the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup championship match. With Argentina, his last final appearance before this MLS Cup was the 2024 Copa América against Colombia, where La Albiceleste recorded a narrow 1-0 victory.
Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi #10 sees the 2025 MLS Cup trophy.
Furthermore, Messi’s two assists in the MLS Cup have boosted his already remarkable production in decisive matches. In his 51 finals he scored 35 goals and provided 15 assistsmeaning he has directly contributed to 50 goals on the biggest stages, almost one impact per final.
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How does Ronaldo’s finals record compare?
Cristiano Ronaldo is also synonymous with success. He is one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport and is known for his performance in high-pressure moments. But when his final record is put next to Messi’s, the Portuguese star falls short.
Over the course of his career Ronaldo has played in 40 finals (including two-legged series) and won 20 of them. Eleven ended in a draw, while he has nine defeats, four fewer than Messi, but played in significantly fewer finals.
His most recent club final came with Al Nassr in the 2025/26 season, when he scored in a 2-2 draw against Al Ahli in the Saudi Super Cup before losing in the penalty shootout. Of Portugalhe also found the net in the UEFA Nations League final against Spainanother 2-2 draw that this time ended in Portugal’s favor after penalties.
Despite the disappointment in his last final, Ronaldo’s goal provided strong scoring on big occasions. In his 40 finals, he scored 25 goals and registered two assistsleaving him well behind Messi in terms of overall goal contributions on the sport’s biggest stages.
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