๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ค How many assists does Cristiano Ronaldo really have?
I've noticed a lot of discussion lately (and misinformation) around assists - particularly Ronaldo's total career assist count.
Let's clear it all up, and explain where the confusion comes from... ๐งต
๐โ ๐ง๐ท Copa America 2021: beat the reigning Copa champions
๐โ ๐ฎ๐น Finalissima 2022: beat the reigning Euros champions
๐โ ๐ซ๐ท World Cup 2022: beat the reigning world champions
Not a bad 18 months for Messi's Argentina!!
๐ According to most independent researchers who have painstakingly tallied the assists of football's past greats, Messi now has the MOST assists in football history! ๐
๐ฆ๐ท Lionel Messi: 361 ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ฅ
๐ญ๐บ Ferenc Puskas: 340-359 ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ณ๐ฑ Johan Cruyff: 322-358 ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ง๐ท Pele: 321-351 ๐ ฐ๏ธ
There are varying numbers as some tallies are partially estimated, but Puskas is generally credited with somewhere between 340 and 359 assists.
โฝ๏ธ๐ฅ According to Opta, Messi's strike against Philadelphia Union was the longest range *open play* goal of his club career.
But has he scored from further out for Argentina? Let's take a look at some of Messi's longest strikes...
๐ According to @iffhs_media, Messi's latest goal made him the 5th player ever with 1โฃ0โฃ0โฃ+ goals in 3 different decades!
๐๏ธ 2000s: 169 โฝ๏ธ
๐๏ธ 2010s: 546 โฝ๏ธ
๐๏ธ 2020s: 100 โฝ๏ธ
He joins a prestigious list:
๐ฆ๐ท Di Stefano (40s-60s)
๐ญ๐บ Puskas (40s-60s)
๐ง๐ท Pele (50s-70s)
๐ง๐ท Romario (80s-00s)
๐ฆ๐ท Messi (00s-20s) ๐
๐ Messi picks up his 8th official MOTM award at the World Cup, the most of any player since it began in 2002! โจ
๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ท Messi: 8 โฌ๏ธ
๐ฅ ๐ต๐น Ronaldo: 7
๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ฑ Robben: 6
Trophy number 4โฃ4โฃ of Lionel Messi's career, surpassing Dani Alves' record at the top level! โจ
๐x1 @LeaguesCup ๐
๐x12 League
๐x4 UCL
๐x7 Copa del Rey
๐x9 Domestic Super Cup
๐x3 UEFA Super Cup
๐x3 Club World Cup
๐x1 World Cup๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Copa America๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Finalissima๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Olympics*๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 U20 World Cup*๐ฆ๐ท
๐ Messi becomes the first player to win FIFA's award for the world's best player in THREE different decades! โจ
โ 2000s ๐
โ 2010s ๐๐๐๐๐
โ 2020s ๐
๐ Lionel Messi has won another IFFHS award for the Men's World Best Player of 2022!
๐ฅ Messi: 275 points
๐ฅ Mbappe: 35
๐ฅ Benzema: 30
4โฃ Modric: 15
5โฃ Haaland: 5
โจ After just 2 seasons together, Mbappe is the 3rd highest beneficiary of Messi assists! ๐ค
Goals from Messi Assists
๐บ๐พ Suarez 3โฃ9โฃ
๐ง๐ท Neymar 2โฃ7โฃ
๐ซ๐ท Mbappe 2โฃ0โฃ
๐บ๐ธ The US football season is vastly different to what we're used to in Europe.
Here's everything you need to know about the MLS and all other competitions Messi can play in for Inter Miami!
[THREAD]
โ๏ธ REMINDER: we already knew Inter Miami had qualified for next season's CONCACAF Champions Cup, but winning the Leagues Cup means they will receive a bye straight into the Last 16!
Messi and Ronaldo have now scored exactly the same number of goals in Europe's Top 5 Leagues! โจ
๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ท Messi: 495โฝ๏ธ๐
๐ฅ ๐ต๐น Ronaldo: 495โฝ๏ธ
๐ฅ ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ J Greaves: 366โฝ๏ธ
๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ช G Muller: 365โฝ๏ธ
Tonight was the 48th time a team mate has taken a penalty with Lionel Messi on the pitch.
โ 35 were scored
โ 13 were missed
On 7 of those occasions, Messi was on 2 goals scored in the match... ๐ฉโ๏ธ
โ๏ธ No Messi fans, you're not dreaming...
He plays a World Cup Final tomorrow, and will head into the match as:
โจ Golden Ball favourite
โจ Joint top scorer
โจ Joint top assister
โจ Most POTMs
Whatever happens tomorrow, it's been a hell of a tournament for La Pulga... ๐
โฝ๏ธ Lionel Messi has now scored in his last 8โฃ consecutive matches, his joint 5th best ever scoring streak! โจ
๐ฆ๐บ Australia โฝ๏ธ
๐ฒ๐ฝ Cruz Azul โฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Atlanta โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Orlando โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Dallas โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Charlotte โฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Philadelphia โฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Nashville โฝ๏ธ
Just 2 games away from equalling his best ever scoring streak in all games for club and country.
And that's trophy number 4โฃ0โฃ of Lionel Messi's professional career! โจ
๐ x1 Finalissima ๐
๐ x1 Ligue 1
๐ x10 La Liga
๐ x4 UCL
๐ x7 Copa del Rey
๐ x8 Supercopa
๐ x3 UEFA Super Cup
๐ x3 Club World Cup
๐ x1 Copa America ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x1 Olympics* ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x1 FIFA U20 World Cup* ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ At 35 years old, Messi is the oldest player ever to win FIFA's award for the world's best player! ๐ด๐ทโจ
He surpasses Lewandowski, Modric and Cannavaro who all picked up the award at 33 years old.
๐ฅ Incredible scenes on Leo Messi's Inter Miami debut, scoring a 94th minute free kick to win the game!!
It's his 6โฃ3โฃrd direct free kick goal!
5โฃ0โฃ ๐ช๐ธ Barcelona
1โฃ0โฃ ๐ฆ๐ท Argentina
0โฃ2โฃ ๐ซ๐ท PSG
0โฃ1โฃ ๐บ๐ธ Inter Miami ๐โจ
Lionel Messi makes it 1โฃ0โฃ0โฃ open play goals from outside the box! ๐ฏโจ
6โฃ7โฃ for Barcelona ๐ช๐ธ
1โฃ4โฃ for Argentina ๐ฆ๐ท
1โฃ1โฃ for Inter Miami ๐บ๐ธ๐
8โฃ for PSG ๐ซ๐ท
๐ It's not official, but PSG effectively seal the Ligue 1 title tonight, a 12th league title for Lionel Messi!
He will be just one short of Ryan Giggs' record of 13 league titles.
๐ RECORD EQUALLED!
Lionel Messi has now equalled the record of Luis Suarez for most goals scored in South American World Cup Qualifiers! โจ
๐ฆ๐ท Lionel Messi: 2โฃ9โฃโฝ๏ธ๐
๐บ๐พ Luis Suarez: 2โฃ9โฃโฝ๏ธ
๐ฏ Lionel Messi has now scored 6โฃ5โฃ free kick goals in his career! ๐ฅ
โจ 5th of 2023
โจ 11th for Argentina
โจ 4th in WCQs
โจ 65th all time career
โฝ๏ธ Against Mexico at the World Cup, Messi scored in a 6th consecutive game for Argentina, equalling his best ever previous streak.
That run ended against Poland, but since that game he has set a new personal best, having now scored in all of his last 8โฃ games for Argentina! โจ
โ 1โฃ Ecuador
โ 1โฃ Australia
โ 3โฃ Curacao
โ 1โฃ Panama
โ 2โฃ France
โ 1โฃ Croatia
โ 1โฃ Netherlands
โ 1โฃ Australia
โ0โฃ Poland
โ 1โฃ Mexico
โ 1โฃ Saudi Arabia
โ 1โฃ UAE
โ 2โฃ Jamaica
โ 2โฃ Honduras
โ 5โฃ Estonia
๐ Lionel Messi wins the IFFHS award for the Men's World Best International Goalscorer of 2022!
The award takes into account goals for country and in international club competitions.
๐ฅ Messi: 22โฝ๏ธ (4 UCL + 18 NT)
๐ฅ Mbappe: 21โฝ๏ธ (9+12)
๐ฅ J Alvarez: 15โฝ๏ธ (8+7)
Trophy number 4โฃ3โฃ of Lionel Messi's career, equalling Dani Alves' record! โจ
๐x12 League ๐
๐x4 UCL
๐x7 Copa del Rey
๐x9 Domestic Super Cup
๐x3 UEFA Super Cup
๐x3 Club World Cup
๐x1 World Cup๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Copa America๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Finalissima๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 Olympics*๐ฆ๐ท
๐x1 U20 World Cup*๐ฆ๐ท
๐ Messi sneaks past Cristiano Ronaldo's goal total in European club football, and is just 1 away from equalling his all time Top 5 Leagues record! โจ
European Club Goals
๐ฆ๐ท Messi 702 โฌ๏ธ
๐ต๐น Ronaldo 701
Top 5 League Goals
๐ต๐น Ronaldo 495
๐ฆ๐ท Messi 494
๐ Lionel Messi wins the IFFHS Best Playmaker award for 2022, a record fifth time he has scooped this award! โจ
๐ฆ๐ท Messi 5x (15, 16, 17, 19, 22)
๐ช๐ธ Xavi 4x (08, 09, 10, 11)
๐ง๐ช De Bruyne 2x (20, 21)
๐ช๐ธ Iniesta 2x (12, 13)
โฝ๏ธ MESSI GOAL โผ๏ธโผ๏ธโผ๏ธ
Messi wins it for PSG at the death with a fantastically struck free kick!
๐ 11th league goal this season
๐ 16th PSG goal this season
๐ 61st free kick goal (2nd for PSG)
๐ 699th club goal
๐ 797th senior career goal
Trophy number 4โฃ2โฃ of Lionel Messi's professional career! โจ
๐ x1 WORLD CUP ๐ฆ๐ท ๐
๐ x1 Copa America ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x1 Finalissima ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x1 Olympics* ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x1 U20 World Cup* ๐ฆ๐ท
๐ x9 Domestic Super Cup
๐ x11 League
๐ x4 UCL
๐ x7 Copa del Rey
๐ x3 UEFA Super Cup
๐ x3 Club World Cup
โฝ๏ธ Lionel Messi has now scored in his last 7โฃ consecutive matches, his joint 6th best ever scoring streak! โจ
๐ฆ๐บ Australia โฝ๏ธ
๐ฒ๐ฝ Cruz Azul โฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Atlanta โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Orlando โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Dallas โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Charlotte โฝ๏ธ
๐บ๐ธ Philadelphia โฝ๏ธ
๐๐๐๐ฅณ๐
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEO MESSI
๐ 35 Years Old
๐ 7 Ballons d'Or (record)
๐๏ธ 6 European Golden Shoes (record)
๐ 974 Games
โฝ๏ธ 769 Goals
๐ ฐ๏ธ 331 Assists
๐ 73 Mins per goal/assist
๐
๐ After 4 games without a goal, Lionel Messi finally has the outright record for the the most goals in the history of Europe's Top 5 Leagues! โจ
๐ฅ Messi: 4โฃ9โฃ6โฃ ๐
๐ฅ Ronaldo: 4โฃ9โฃ5โฃ
๐ Messi & Ronaldo have now racked up exactly the same number of goal contributions for their countries!
๐ฆ๐ท Messi
---------------
๐ 172 Caps
โฝ๏ธ 98 Goals
๐ ฐ๏ธ 53 Assists
โจ 151 G+A
๐ต๐น Ronaldo
---------------
๐ 196 Caps
โฝ๏ธ 118 Goals
๐ ฐ๏ธ 33 Assists
โจ 151 G+A
๐๏ธ This is now officially the longest unbeaten run of Lionel Messi's career! ๐ซ
3โฃ2โฃ games
March 9th - October 29th 2022
๐ข 26 Wins / 6 Draws
โฝ๏ธ 26 Goals
๐ ฐ๏ธ 19 Assists
โ๏ธ Inter Miami win the 2023 @LeaguesCup 10-9 on penalties!! It's their first ever trophy, and a record breaking 44th for Lionel Messi at the top level! ๐
๐ฑ Lionel Messi was seconds away from his first US defeat, but this seemingly unstoppable Miami train rolls on!
Messi's scoring streak comes to an end but 2 inch perfect assists help get the job done! ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธโจ
๐ US Open Cup FINAL! โ
๐๏ธ 27th Sept
๐ Houston/Salt Lake
๐ Lionel Messi has made 6โฃ goal contributions tonight, the most he has ever registered in a single match โจ
๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธโฝ๏ธ
What a dramatic game at the Parc des Princes!
๐ PSG 2-0 up after 17'
๐ Mendes off injured
๐ Neymar stretchered off in tears
๐ ฟ๏ธ Lille equalise thru controversial pen
๐ฌ Lille go 3-2 up!
โจ Mbappe equalises for 3-3 on 87'
๐ฏ Messi fires in a winning free kick on 90+5'!
๐บ๐ธ An update on Lionel Messi's record in the matches he's played in the USA... โจ
๐ฆ๐ท Argentina
๐ 13 games
โฝ๏ธ 16 goals
๐ฆฉ Inter Miami
๐ 7 games
โฝ๏ธ 10 goals
๐บ๐ธ Total
๐ 20 games
โฝ๏ธ 26 goals
โจ Messi has now provided 2โฃ0โฃ assists in the league in 2022, by far his best in a calendar year!
2022 2โฃ0โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ ๐๐
2020 1โฃ6โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2018 1โฃ6โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2011 1โฃ6โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
โจ Tonight marks the 120th time that Leo Messi has achieved a perfect 1โฃ0โฃ rating, and the 4th in a PSG shirt!
That's 17% of the 698 games I have this data for ๐ฑ
๐ Messi's debut Inter Miami goal was also a landmark 700th career non-penalty goal! ๐
7โฃ0โฃ0โฃ Non-pen Goals
1โฃ0โฃ8โฃ Pen Goals
8โฃ0โฃ8โฃ Senior Career Goals โ
๐ At this World Cup, Leo Messi has added an impressive array of new records to his already vast collection.
Let's take a look at all the records he's broken in Qatar... ๐
โฝ๏ธ๐ After going 5 games without a goal, Messi has now scored in 6 consecutive matches (8 goals)!
๐ He's also been the best rated player in the last 7 straight games, and 9 of the last 10 games! โจ
๐๏ธ Messi is now out on his own with the most goal contributions in men's World Cup history!
๐ Most World Cup Goals + Assists
2โฃ1โฃ ๐ฆ๐ทMESSI (13+8) ๐ฅ
2โฃ0โฃ ๐ง๐ทPele (12+8)
1โฃ9โฃ ๐ฉ๐ชKlose (16+3)
1โฃ9โฃ ๐ง๐ทRonaldo (15+4)
1โฃ9โฃ ๐ฉ๐ชGerd Muller (14+5)
1โฃ7โฃ ๐ต๐ฑLato (10+7)
1โฃ7โฃ ๐ฉ๐ชUwe Seeler (9+8)
๐ Lionel Messi wins the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for a 2nd time!
Heโs the only footballer (and only player from a team sport) to have ever won the award! โจ
๐ Lionel Messi is the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.
The iconic footballer reached even greater heights last year, when he inspired @Argentina to a historic third @FIFAWorldCup triumph. ๐ฆ๐ท
#Laureus23
โผ๏ธ MATCHDAY โผ๏ธ
MESSI ๐ Cincinnati ๐
๐ US Open Cup SFs
๐ 121st club opponent
๐ 8th Inter Miami match (10 goals)
๐ 1036th senior career match
On paper, this is set to be Messi's toughest test so far for Inter Miami, with Cincinnati 7 points clear at the top of the overall MLS standings.
However, they lost their last match 3-0 on Sunday night, after being eliminated from the Leagues Cup by Nashville on penalties.
If Messi can help his side to victory, they'll have a shot at more silverware in next month's final!
๐ฏ Messi had 6โฃ attempts at goal from free kicks tonight, the most he has attempted in the 497 games I have this data for!
๐งค 2 saved
๐ฅ 2 hit the woodwork
โ 1 over
โฝ๏ธ 1 goal! โ
๐ฅ Leo Messi is ranked number 1 in The @Guardian's list of the 100 best male footballers in the world, the 6th time he has topped the list!
Cristiano Ronaldo drops out of the Top 10 for the first time since the list's inception in 2012, placing 51st.
๐ BRACE STATS UPDATE
๐ธ Exactly 2 goals in a game
---------------------------------
Messi: 155 times (15% of games)
Ronaldo: 149 times (12.7%)
๐ธ 2+ goals in a game
--------------------------
Messi: 212 (20.6%)
Ronaldo: 211 (18%)
๐ Messi has now hit 2โฃ0โฃ goals and 2โฃ0โฃ assists in all club competitions this season, the 6th time he has achieved this feat! โจ
2022/23: 2โฃ0โฃโฝ๏ธ 2โฃ0โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ ๐
2019/20: 3โฃ1โฃโฝ๏ธ 2โฃ5โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2015/16: 4โฃ1โฃโฝ๏ธ 2โฃ3โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2014/15: 5โฃ8โฃโฝ๏ธ 2โฃ7โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2011/12: 7โฃ3โฃโฝ๏ธ 3โฃ0โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
2010/11: 5โฃ3โฃโฝ๏ธ 2โฃ3โฃ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ This is now Messi's best World Cup for both goals AND assists! โจ
๐ 2006 โฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ 2010 ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ 2014 โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ 2018 โฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ 2022 โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ๐ ฐ๏ธ
๐ ฐ๏ธ The top assisters this season in Europe's major leagues (all club competitions)
2โฃ6โฃ ๐ง๐ช De Bruyne
2โฃ0โฃ ๐ฆ๐ท Messi
1โฃ9โฃ ๐ง๐ท Vinicius
๐ Messi is now Inter Miami's joint top scorer this season after just 3.3 games ๐
โฝ๏ธ7โฃ Lionel Messi (4 games)
โฝ๏ธ7โฃ Josef Martinez (28)
โฝ๏ธ5โฃ Robert Taylor (27)
โฝ๏ธ4โฃ Leonardo Campana (21)
Lionel Messi picks up another official POTM award - his 3rd of the tournament and a record 9th overall! โจ
๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ท Messi: 9 ๐
๐ฅ ๐ต๐น Ronaldo: 7
๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ฑ Robben: 6
๐ NEXT UP FOR MESSI ๐ฆฉ
๐๐บ๐ธ US Open Cup SFs
The cup action continues for Inter Miami as they take on Cincinnati on Wednesday night in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup.
๐๐บ๐ธ MLS
Then on Saturday night, assuming he's not rested after a busy schedule, Messi will finally make his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls!
โฝ๏ธโฝ๏ธ A fantastic brace for Messi against Peru as he completes his first full game in 6 weeks! โจ
๐ 31 goals in SA WCQs (new ๐ )
๐ 28 goals in 2023
๐ 8 goals for Argentina in 2023
๐ 106 total Argentina goals
๐ 821 senior career goal
๐ฑ Brilliant, chaotic scenes in Dallas as the dream start continues for Messi at Inter Miami!
โฝ๏ธ A lovely low strike from an Alba cutback
โฝ๏ธ An 85th min free kick to equalise for 4-4
โจ Miami advance on pens!
They're through to the Leagues Cup QFs!