Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who had highest market value across 20 year careers?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s careers have been perennially linked as arguably the two best players of their generation. Messi and Ronaldo’s names have become synonymous with each other with constant arguments over which player is better. They remain the two most recognisable faces in football with both enjoying remarkable careers, spanning two-decades.

The duo have won the prestigious Balon D’Or 13 times between them with Messi eclipsing his rival with eight accolades. Messi and Ronaldo enjoyed some famous battles in El Classico over the years when Real Madrid and Barcelona faced off in Spain, but they’ve been denied the opportunity of sharing the pitch one last time. Al-Nassr face Inter Miami in a friendly on Thursday but Ronaldo will miss the clash in Saudi Arabia through injury. While Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé have emerged as the most valuable players in the world in recent years, Messi and Ronaldo battled for that title for over a decade.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s market values from 2005-2014

Ronaldo is two years older than Messi and that was reflected when Transfermarkt’s market values were established. The Portuguese attacker was valued at €20 million, while Messi’s valuation was just €3m. Both players’ market values soared over the years with Messi overtaking Ronaldo in 2007 when he increased to €40m. Ronaldo surged back ahead of Messi in 2008 when he collected his first Balon D’Or and his market value remained higher than the Argentinian until 2011. Messi’s valuation rocketed to €120m in 2012 - €20m higher than Ronaldo for two years - until the Real Madrid joined him in 2014.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s market values from 20015-2024

Ronaldo’s record market value was €120m but it dropped across 2016 and 2017 before returning to its peak in 2018 during his last season at Real Madrid. Remarkably, Messi’s valuation remained at €120m for six years between 2012 and 2018 but it surged to its record high of €180m in 2018 when he was unquestionably the best player on the planet. Both players’ valuations naturally decreased as they got older with Ronaldo’s dropping by €40m across one year at Juventus. The 38-year-old rejoined Manchester United in a sentimental move in 2021 before joining current club Al-Nassr. Ronaldo is still scoring goals at an incredible rate and his current market value stands at €15m - the highest of any player born in 1985. Messi’s market value trajectory has followed a similar path to Ronaldo but he’s been valued higher across the last nine seasons, mainly due to his age. The mercurial star led his beloved Argentina to World Cup glory and his current market value is €35 - the highest of any player born in 1987.

Mutual respect between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

There’s been constant speculation over the years that Messi and Ronaldo don’t see eye-to-eye but the pair have both expressed their mutual respect.Speaking in 2017, Messi rejected claims the duo disliked each other: "No, I have always said it - and [Ronaldo] for his part - that he is armed with the presence of us both," said Messi. "We try to achieve the best every year for our team, and what is said outside of that I don't think is very important. He is a phenomenal player with a lot of quality. All the world knows, and that is why he is one of the best in the world." In 2022, Ronaldo said: "We have shared the stage for 15 years. I don't know if that's happened before - the same two guys on the same stage all the time. Of course, we have a good relationship. We haven't had dinner together yet, but I hope in the future. We had that battle in Spain. I pushed him and he pushed me as well. So it's good to be part of the history of football."

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