Ronaldo vs. Messi: The Power of Their Outside-the-Box Goals

As of August 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have showcased their exceptional abilities from outside the box. Their impressive statistics reflect the unique skills they bring to the game. This article delves into their outside-the-box goal counts, free kick contributions, and overall goal-scoring prowess.

Outside-the-Box Goals Comparison

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both have notable records when it comes to scoring goals from outside the box. According to recent statistics, Ronaldo has scored around 60 goals from outside the box, while Messi has a higher tally of approximately 70 goals.

Goal Distributions

While both players have exceptional capabilities from outside the box, it's interesting to note the specific locations of their goals:

Ronaldo’s outside-the-box goals are predominantly from 30 meters or further, with over 20 free-kicks from this distance. Messi's outside-the-box goals are often from just behind 25 meters, with significantly fewer free-kicks from over 30 meters.

Thus, Messi might have more goals from outside the box, but Ronaldo demonstrates superior long-range shooting power.

Free Kick Contributions

When considering combined outside-the-box goals and free kicks, the numbers evolve:

Messi: 149 goals (61 free-kicks, 88 goals from outside the box) Ronaldo: 119 goals (57 free-kicks, 62 goals from outside the box)

Hat-Tricks and Goal AFL

Messi's offensive prowess is not limited to just outside-the-box goals. He has scored an incredible 54 hat-tricks and numerous goals from various angles. His left foot is particularly notable, contributing 586 goals (70 from outside the box, 491 from inside the box), while his right foot accounts for 91 goals in total. Additionally, Messi has scored 90 goals from the penalty spot and missed a total of 26 penalties.

Recent Performance Analysis

Moving forward to the past ten years (2013-2023) gives us an even clearer picture:

Messi: 62 goals from outside the penalty box, with a high conversion rate of 9.18% (676 shots, 55 goals from outside the box, 122 total, with 53 free-kicks) Ronaldo: 55 goals from outside the penalty box, with a lower conversion rate of 4.9% (1123 shots, 55 goals, 111 total, with 56 free-kicks)

Messi takes a more precise, shorter-range approach, converting nearly every attempt into a goal. Ronaldo's efforts are more spread out, taking more attempts to achieve similar results.