Watch Lionel Messi score his 700th career goal for club and country with a Panenka penalty during Barcelona's clash with Atletico Madrid

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• Scroll further down for full detailed stats comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo

The club's legendary all-time leading scorer took his tally for the Catalan giants to 630 from 724 games with a cheeky Panenka-style penalty to put his side 2-1 up, and with 70 international goals also to his name from his 138 caps for Argentina, he now becomes the seventh player in history to reach 700 overall.

It wasn't enough to earn his side the victory they needed to leapfrog Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga table, as a second penalty of the match from Saul Niguez earned the third-placed visitors a point at the Nou Camp.

Messi had earlier claimed his 321st career assist when Diego Costa turned in his curling corner kick at the near post only for Niguez's first spot kick - which was a retaken after Costa missed the initial effort - level the scores.

Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, became the sixth player to reach 700 goals back in October when scoring for Portugal but while the Juventus star achieved the landmark in his 974th game - and almost exactly 17 years after his first goal for Sporting Lisbon in 2002/03 - Messi managed it in his 862nd match and 15 years after his maiden goal, which came in his ninth senior appearance against Albacete in May of the 2004/05 season, aged 17.

Messi therefore boasts a career strike rate of 0.81 per game - and 0.87 at club level - whereas Ronaldo's was 0.72 when he brought up 700 in his 974th match and is still the same having since moved to 728 goals in 1005 matches (629 in 841 at club level, with a ratio of 0.75).

It must be noted, however, that Messi's goal ratio since becoming 'the' talisman at the start of the 2008/09 season - by which point he'd already notched up 51 in 140 games despite some injury setbacks disrupting his early rise to stardom - is an astronomical 0.90 overall (649 in 722) and 0.96 for Barcelona (588 in 614).

His last 600 career goals after reaching his first century in his 211th game against Dynamo Kiev in September 2009 have been scored in 651 games (ratio of 0.92), while his 542 for Barca in this period came in 555 fixtures (ratio of 0.98).

Ronaldo, who was predominantly a playmaking winger for most of his six seasons at Manchester United, reached his first century against Tottenham in his 301st game aged 23 in January 2008 but his goal-scoring also sky rocketed to insane levels since then, with his previous 628 strikes in 704 matches coming at 0.89 per game overall while his last 549 at club level spanning 593 matches during this time have come at 0.93.

The 35-year-old's last 600 career goals across 654 matches dating back to January 2009 have been scored at a rate of 0.92 - and this was clearly helped by his record-breaking era at Real Madrid that heralded 438 goals in 450 matches across nine seasons, which works out at 0.97 per game. His 523 club goals in this same period were scored in 551 games (0.95).

Those who rank Ronaldo above his great rival will not only point to his Champions League record tally of 129 but also how he's managed to bag goals for clubs in three of the major European nations has and also spearheaded Portugal, for whom he's netted 99 times, to a pair of international tournaments - Euro 2016 and last year's Nations League. He also has 56 hat-tricks compared to Messi's 54.

It was perhaps ironic that while Messi was seeking his 700th goal on Tuesday night, Ronaldo scored his 728th with a screamer during a 3-1 victory that put Juventus four points clear of Lazio.

Honours-wise, the Argentina star has lifted 26 major club trophies throughout his career, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns, while he's been awarded the Ballon d'Or more times than anyone else with six, including the most recent in 2019 when he beat Virgil van Dijk and five-time winner Ronaldo to the gong.

By contrast, the Portugal captain has 22 club titles, including a record five Champions Leagues, three Premier Leagues, a pair of La Ligas and is on the verge of a second Serie A. You can see a full list of career stats and achievements further down.

One of the other players to have scored 700 career goals is obviously Pele, although his official competitive tally of 767 in 831 games is some way below his Guinness World Record mark of 1,281 in 1,363 matches which includes many friendlies for Santos.

The Brazilian legend is third on the list behind Czech striker Josef Bican, who scored 805 goals in 530 games in a career interrupted by World War II, and Brazil's 1994 World Cup winner Romario with 772 goals in 994.

Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas - 746 goals from 754 games - is fourth ahead of German great Gerd Muller, who bagged 735 from 793.

It could be possible for Ronaldo, now 35, to surpass Pele and Romario before he retires and he also has his sights set on the international goals record which is currently 109 by Iran's Ali Daei.

Messi, who struck his 600th Barcelona club goal in his 683rd appearance for the Catalan giants during last season's unforgettable Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, is now 33 and is also feasibly in with a shout of taking the overall top spot.

The heated debate as to who's the greatest of all time probably won't end until then. If it ever does.

• Scroll down for full career stats for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo statistics and achievement comparison

LIONEL MESSI

Lionel Messi's overall goals record

• Games: 862 (724 club)
  Won: 590, Drawn 165, Lost: 107
• Goals: 700 (630 club)
• Goals per game ratio: 0.81 (0.87 club)
• Hat-Tricks: 54 (48 club)
• Four in a game: 6 (all for Barca)
• Five in a game: 1 (for Barca)
• Penalties: 91 (77 club)
  26 missed overall (22 missed for Barca)
• Assists*: 321 (273 club)

* According to transfermarkt.co.uk

Lionel Messi's club goals record

• Games: 724
• Goals: 630
• Goals per game ratio: 0.87
• League: 441 (480 games)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.92
• Champions League: 114 (141 games)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.81
• Copa del Rey: 53 (75 games)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.71
• Supercopa: 14 (19 games)
• UEFA Super Cup: 3 (4 games)
• Club World Cup: 5 (5 games)
• Hat-Tricks: 48
• Four in a game: 6
• Five in a game: 1
• Penalties: 77 (22 missed)
• Assists: 273

Lionel Messi's international goals record

• Games: 138
• Goals: 70
• Goals per game ratio: 0.51
• World Cup Finals: 6 (19 games)
• Copa America: 9 (27 games)
• World Cup qualification: 21 (45 games)
• International friendly: 34 (47 games)
• Hat-Tricks: 6
• Penalties: 14 (4 missed)
• Assists: 48

How Lionel Messi scores his goals

• These stats via michelacosta.com

BODY PARTS

• Left foot: 583 (83.26%)
• Right foot: 91 (13.02%)
• Head: 24 (3.43%)
• Chest: 1 (0.14%)
• Hand/Arm: 1 (0.14%)

GOAL TYPE

• Open play: 557 (79.83%)
• Free kicks: 52 (7.44%)
• Penalties: 91 (12.73%)

HOME AND AWAY

• Home: 395 (56.37%)
• Away: 269 (38.48%)
• Neutral: 36 (5.15%)

Messi's season-by-season goals, trophies & Ballon d'Ors

In-running cumulative career goals and games in brackets

• 2019/20: 29 goals in 39 games (Career: 700 in 862)
  27 club goals in 37 games
  2 international goals in 2 games
  Trophies (so far): Supercopa de Espana
• 2018/19: 54 goals in 58 games (Career: 671 in 823)
  51 club goals in 50 games
  3 international goals in 8 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Supercopa de Espana
• 2017/18: 52 goals in 64 games (Career: 617 in 765)
  45 club goals in 54 games
  7 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Copa del Rey
• 2016/17: 57 goals in 57 games (Career: 565 in 701)
  54 club goals in 52 games
  3 international goals in 5 games
  Trophies: Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana
• 2015/16: 50 goals in 59 games (Career: 508 in 644)
  41 club goals in 49 games
  9 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2014/15: 62 goals in 67 games (Career: 458 in 585)
  58 club goals in 57 games
  4 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey
• 2013/14: 48 goals in 56 games (Career: 396 in 518)
  41 club goals in 46 games
  7 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: Supercopa de Espana
• 2012/13: 69 goals in 62 games (Career: 348 in 462)
  60 club goals in 50 games
  9 international goals in 12 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Ballon d'Or
• 2011/12: 82 goals in 69 games (Career: 279 in 400)
  73 club goals in 60 games
  9 international goals in 9 games
  Trophies: Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2010/11: 57 goals in 66 games (Career: 197 in 331)
  53 club goals in 55 games
  6 international goals in 11 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Champions League, Supercopa de Espana, Ballon d'Or
• 2009/10: 48 goals in 64 games (Career: 140 in 265)
  47 club goals in 53 games
  1 international goal in 11
  Trophies: La Liga, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2008/09: 41 goals in 61 games (Career: 92 in 201)
  38 club goals in 51 games
  3 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Ballon d'Or
• 2007/08: 19 goals in 50 games (Career: 51 in 140)
  16 club goals in 40 games
  3 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: Olympic Gold for U23
• 2006/07: 21 goals in 46 games (Career: 32 in 90)
  17 club goals in 36 games
  4 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: Supercopa de Espana
• 2005/06: 10 goals in 35 games (Career: 11 in 44)
  8 club goals in 25 games
  2 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Champions League
• 2004/05: 1 goals in 9 games
  1 club goals in 9 games
  Trophies: La Liga

Lionel Messi: Century goal milestones

• 1st goal v Albacete (May 1, 2005)
  9th match
• 100th goal v Dynamo Kiev (September 29, 2009)
  211th match
• 200th goal v Real Madrid (August 17, 2011)
  333rd match
• 300th goal v Rayo Vallecano (October 27, 2012)
  419th match
• 400th goal v Granada (September 27, 2014)
  525th match
• 500th goal v Valencia (April 17, 2014)
  631st match
• 600th goal v Atletico Madrid (March 4, 2018)
  747th match
• 700th goal v Atletico Madrid (June 30, 2020)
  862nd match

Lionel Messi's international honours

• Fifa U-20 World Cup: 1 (2005)
• Olympic Gold Medal (U23): 1 (2008)

Lionel Messi's club honours

• La Liga: 10
• Copa del Rey: 6
• Spanish Supercup: 8
• Champions League: 4
• UEFA Super Cup: 3
• FIFA Club World Cup: 3

Lionel Messi major individual awards

• Ballon d’Or: 6 (2019, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009) - A record
• European Golden Shoe: 6 (2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• FIFA Best Men's Player: 1 (2019)
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 1 (2009)
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1 (2014)
• UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 2 (2011, 2015)

Scroll down further for Ronaldo's stats and major honours

CRISTIANO RONALDO

Cristiano Ronaldo's overall goals record

• Games: 1005 (841 club)
  Won: 669, Drawn 190, Lost: 146
• Goals: 728 (629 club)
• Goals per game ratio: 0.72 (0.75 club)
• Hat-Tricks: 56 (47 club)
• Four in a game: 8 (six for Real Madrid, two for Portugal)
• Five in a game: 2 (for Real Madrid)
• Penalties: 123 (112 club)
  23 missed overall (17 missed for clubs)
• Assists*: 262 (221 club)

* According to transfermarkt.co.uk

Club record

• Games: 841
• Goals: 629
  Juventus: 56 (80 games)
  Real Madrid: 450 (438 games)
  Manchester United: 118 (292 games)
  Sporting Lisbon: 5 (31 games)
• Overall Goals per game ratio: 0.75
• League: 442 (568 games)
  Serie A: 44 (55 games)
  La Liga: 311 (292 games)
  Premier League: 84 (196 games)
  Primeira Liga: 3 (25 games)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.78
• Champions League: 129* (173 games*)
  Juventus: 8 (16 games)
  Real Madrid: 105 (101 games)
  Manchester United: 16* (55 games*)
  Sporting Lisbon: 0 (1 game*)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.75
• Domestic Cups: 43 (77 games)
  Coppa Italia: 2 (6 games)
  Copa del Rey: 22 (30 games)
  FA Cup: 13 (26 games)
  EFL Cup: 4 (12 games)
  Taca de Portugal: 2 (3 games)
  Goals per game ratio: 0.56
• UEFA Cup: 0 (2 games, both for Sporting Lisbon)
• World Club Cup: 7 (8 games)
  Real Madrid: 6 (6 games)
  Man United: 1 (2 games)
• UEFA Super Cup: 2 (2 games, both for Real Madrid)
• Domestic 'Super Cups': 5 (10 games)
  Supercoppa Italiana: 1 (2 games)
  Supercopa: 4 (7 games)
  Community Shield: 0 (1 game)
• Hat-Tricks: 47
  Juventus: 2
  Real Madrid: 44
  Man United: 1
• Four in a game: 6
  Real Madrid: 6
• Five in a game: 2
  Real Madrid: 2
• Penalties: 111 (17 missed)
  Juventus: 16 (2 misses)
  Real Madrid: 79 (12 misses)
  Man United: 17 (3 misses)
• Assists: 221

* These stats including Ronaldo playing in four legs of Champions League qualifying-round matches - three for Man United and once for Sporting Lisbon. He scored one qualifying-round goal for Man United.

Cristiano Ronaldo's international goals record

• Games: 164
• Goals: 99
• Goals per game ratio: 0.60
• World Cup Finals goals: 7 (17 games)
• World Cup qualification goals: 30 (38 games)
• European Championship goals: 9 (21 games)
• European Championship qualification goals: 31 (35 games)
• Confederation Cup goals: 2 (4 games)
• Nations League goals: 3 goals (2 games)
• International friendly goals: 17 (47 games)
• Hat-Tricks: 9
• Four in a game: 2
• Penalties: 14 (6 missed)
• Assists: 41

How Cristiano Ronaldo scores his goals

• These stats via michelacosta.com

BODY PARTS

• Left foot: 130 (17.88%)
• Right foot: 468 (64.24%)
• Head: 128 (17.61%)
• Other (Arm, midriff): 2 (0.28%)

GOAL TYPE

• Open play: 551 (75.65%)
• Free kicks: 54 (7.43%)
• Penalties: 123 (16.92%)

HOME AND AWAY

• Home: 399 (54.88%)
• Away: 290 (39.75%)
• Neutral: 39 (5.36%)

Ronaldo's season-by-season goals, trophies & Ballon d'Ors

In-running cumulative career goals and games in brackets

• 2019/20: 39 goals in 43 games (Career: 728 in 1005)
  28 club goals in 37 games (Juventus)
  11 international goals in 6 games
  Trophies (so far): Supercoppa Italiana
• 2018/19: 31 goals in 47 games (Career: 689 in 962)
  28 club goals in 43 games (Juventus)
  3 international goals in 4 games
  Trophies: Serie A, Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Nations League
• 2017/18: 54 goals in 55 games (Career: 658 in 915)
  44 club goals in 44 games (Real Madrid)
  10 international goals in 11 games
  Trophies: Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA World Club Cup, Supercopa de Espana, Ballon d'Or
• 2016/17: 56 goals in 56 games (Career: 604 in 860)
  42 club goals in 46 games (Real Madrid)
  14 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: La Liga, Champions League, FIFA World Club Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2015/16: 57 goals in 61 games (Career: 548 in 804)
  51 club goals in 48 games (Real Madrid)
  6 international goals in 13 games
  Trophies: Champions League, Euro 2016
• 2014/15: 66 goals in 60 games (Career: 491 in 743)
  61 club goals in 54 games (Real Madrid)
  5 international goals in 6 games
  Trophies: UEFA Super Cup, FIFA World Club Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2013/14: 62 goals in 57 games (Career: 425 in 683)
  51 club goals in 47 games (Real Madrid)
  11 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: Champions League, Copa del Rey, Ballon d'Or
• 2012/13: 59 goals in 64 games (Career: 363 in 626)
  55 club goals in 55 games (Real Madrid)
  4 international goals in 9 games
  Trophies: Supercopa de Espana
• 2011/12: 69 goals in 69 games (Career: 304 in 562)
  60 club goals in 55 games (Real Madrid)
  9 international goals in 14 games
  Trophies: La Liga
• 2010/11: 56 goals in 59 games (Career: 235 in 493)
  53 club goals in 54 games (Real Madrid)
  3 international goals in 5 games
  Trophies: Copa del Rey
• 2009/10: 34 goals in 46 games (Career: 179 in 434)
  33 club goals in 35 games (Real Madrid)
  1 international goal in 11
  Trophies: None
• 2008/09: 27 goals in 60 games (Career: 145 in 388)
  26 club goals in 53 games (Man United)
  1 international goal in 7 games
  Trophies: Premier League, League Cup, FIFA World Club Cup, Ballon d'Or
• 2007/08: 46 goals in 61 games (Career: 118 in 328)
  42 club goals in 49 games (Man United)
  4 international goals in 12 games
  Trophies: Premier League, Champions League, Community Shield
• 2006/07: 28 goals in 61 games (Career: 72 in 267)
  23 club goals in 53 games (Man United)
  5 international goals in 8 games
  Trophies: Premier League
• 2005/06: 15 goals in 62 games (Career: 44 in 206)
  12 club goals in 47 games (Man United)
  3 international goals in 15 games
  Trophies: League Cup
• 2004/05: 16 goals in 60 games (Career: 29 in 144)
  9 club goals in 50 games (Man United)
  7 international goals in 10 games
  Trophies: None
• 2003/04: 8 goals in 53 games (Career: 13 in 84)
  6 club goals in 40 games (Man United)
  2 international goals in 13 games
  Trophies: FA Cup
• 2002/03: 5 goals in 31 games
  5 club goals in 31 games (Sporting Lisbon)
  Trophies: Portuguese Super Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo: Century goal milestones

• 1st goal Sporting Lisbon v Moreirense (October 7, 2002)
  5th match
• 100th goal v Tottenham (January 27, 2008)
  301st match
• 200th goal v Valencia (December 4, 2010)
  458th match
• 300th goal v Granada (May 5, 2012)
  554th match
• 400th goal v Celta (January 6, 2014)
  653rd match
• 500th goal v Malmo (September 30, 2015)
  814th match
• 600th goal v Juventus (June 3, 2017)
  910th match
• 700th goal v Ukraine (October 14, 2019)
  974th match

Scroll down for full honours and accolades

Club honours

• Serie A: 1
• La Liga: 2
• Premier League: 3
• Copa del Rey: 2
• FA Cup: 1
• English Football League Cup: 2
• Supercoppa Italiana: 1
• Spanish Supercup: 2
• Community Shield: 1
• Champions League: 5
  Real Madrid: 4
  Man United: 1
• UEFA Super Cup: 2 (Both with Real Madrid)
• FIFA Club World Cup: 4
  Real Madrid: 3
  Man United: 1

International honours

• European Championship: 1 (2016)
• Nations League: 1 (2019)

Major individual awards

• Ballon d’Or: 5 (2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2008)
• European Golden Shoe: 4 (2007-08, 2010-11, 2013-14 shared with Luis Suarez, 2014-15 - 48)
• FIFA Best Men's Player: 2 (2016, 2017)
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 1 (2008)
• UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 3 (2014, 2016, 2017)

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