Messi beats Cristiano in fouls: CR7 has only scored one in 60 in Euros and World Cups!
Lin comparison between Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi There doesn’t seem to be an end, or at least that’s what it seems like at the moment. Both players, already in the twilight of their careers, far from Europe, where they have conquered everything possible and more, have given us over the last decade one of the best face-to-face matches in football history, if not the best.
A constant confrontation, season after season, in terms of goals, assists, trophies, participation and performance in their different clubs. However, one of the aspects that has always generated a great debate around the figure of the two is the free kick, who is the better pitcher? Throughout their careers, both have been in charge of taking their teams’ free throws, without a doubt. And, there are many records of both in this facet, but, What percentage of success does each of them have? How many free throws have they taken and how many have reached the net?
With the Euro Cup and the America Cup at stake at the moment, this rivalry can be transferred to what national teams are concerned, since the two protagonists are present in said tournaments.
On the occasion of Cristiano’s last match with the Portuguese team against Slovenia, in which He finished up to four free kicks, without luck in any of them‘Opta’ has generated a map in which you can see the number of free kicks that both the Al-Nassr player and the Inter Miami player have taken during all the World Cups, Euro Cups and Copa América in which they have participated.
Facts about Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal
The Portuguese player has played a total of six European Championships (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024), which confirm him as the footballer who has played in the most European national team tournaments. While, on the other hand, he accumulates five World Cups behind him (2006), (2010), (2014), (2018) and (2022).
As can be seen on the ‘Opta’ map, the winger has launched a total of 60 fouls from different positions on the field of play. However, only one of them has ended in a goal, a very poor figure in Cristiano’s figures, which place him with a 1.7% success rate out of 100%.
In this other ‘Opta’ diagram, you can check the direction that those 60 shots from the Portuguese have had, of which just over a third (22) have been blocked by the barrier. Los 37 remaining have been directed over or towards the goal, but have been blocked by the goalkeeper. Furthermore, it can be seen that most of his shots look for the goalkeeper’s left side.
Messi’s numbers with Argentina
On the other hand, the sky blue striker has played a total of five World Cups (2006), (2010), (2014), (2018) and (2022), winning the title in the latter in Qatar. While he has participated in seven Copa América (2007), (2011), (2015), (2016), (2019), (2021) and (2024).
Through the ‘Opta’ map, it can be seen that Messi has launched a total of 53 free throws with his team in the aforementioned championships, of which five have managed to beat the goalkeeper. So, in this sense, his success rate is somewhat higher than Cristiano’s, 9’4% over 100%.
