Messi and Ronaldo Battle for Champions League Top Scorer

”Records are made to be broken” - a philosophy that both Messi and Ronaldo live by as they each aim to become top scorers of the Champions League.

Barcelona’s all-time goal scorer Lionel Messi has captivated the world with his supernatural performances since his breakthrough season in 2008-2009. He is the only player in history that has won four FIFA/Ballon d’Or awards and he has done so consecutively, according to gambling news. He doesn’t want to stop there as he aims to continue breaking records with his CL goals.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the only man that is on the same level as Messi. In fact, in recent times Ronaldo has managed to usurp the Argentine’s domination by winning the Ballon d’Or last year and also clinching his second Champions League trophy with the Los Blancos. Ronaldo, just like Messi, wants to become the top scorer of the biggest European football competition.

Ronaldo and Messi still have to beat Raul’s 71 goals

Messi is currently on 68 goals in the elite competition, while Ronaldo is one ahead with 69. Although these numbers are staggering for the Champions League, both footballers fall just short of claiming the top goal scorer title. Real Madrid’s Raul, Ronaldo former teammate, has enjoyed massive success with the Galacticos by winning three Champions League trophies (1998, 2000 and 2002) and scoring loads of goals thus becoming the leader in the process.

• Ronaldo is in the lead with 69 CL goals

• Messi currently has 68 CL goals to his name

• Messi has advantage being 2 years Ronaldo’s junior

He has a total of 71 CL goals to his name, a feature that no players has ever come close to surpassing. However, that was before Ronaldo and Messi came into the frame as the ultimate contenders for all the titles that can be won and achieved in world football. Messi dominated the competition for several years while Ronaldo played second-fiddle to the diminutive Barcelona forward.

It seemed for a while that Messi could not stop scoring, until the Portuguese winger finally dethroned Barcelona’s number 10 and challenged to become the biggest goal score of the Champions League. However there is one interesting fact to consider before ruling Messi out of the running. Online sportsbooks in Spain point to the fact that Ronaldo is over 2 years Messi’s senior, which in theory gives the Argentine additional time to score more goals.

Should the Portuguese wide man retire at some point, that would still mean that Messi would have a good two years before reaching Ronaldo’ age and therefore adding some more goals to his name. That is of course if the Argentine doesn’t decide to end his Barcelona career earlier than expected and go back home to play for his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys, as he has previously hinted.

Both players are really close to breaking the record

Barcelona next face Ajax in the Champions League while Real Madrid will go up against Liverpool away. Mobile betting provider Bet365 has outlined Ronaldo as the prime candidate to score at anytime 1.73 (8/11), which makes him the favorite goal-scorer in the mouthwatering encounter. Taking into consideration that he has already scored two goals in his two CL appearances, he is sure to add a few more against The Reds.

Punters that feel like being ambitious may try their luck by placing a wager on Ronaldo scoring two or more against Liverpool which would put him level with Raul or even maybe surpass him. Bet365 offers odds of 4.33 (10/3) for the Portuguese of making that historic achievement on Wednesday night.

Messi on the other hand is still three goals shy of matching Raul’s record of 71. Bet365 has also given the Magician odds of 4.33 (10/3) of scoring 3 goals or more against Ajax to mark this incredible achievement. However, looking at Barcelona’s two previous results against APOEL and PSG, their scoring record is not that great and Messi has only managed to score once in two encounters. So, the Argentine’s chances of making history against Ajax are slim.

Nevertheless, there will be plenty of more matches ahead of them which will mark another era. Sooner rather than later, both of these amazing footballers will pass Raul’s 71 goal mark and go on to battle solely one another for top glory. Messi has age playing to his advantage, while Ronaldo will be making sure to utilize his unwavering consistency to add goals to his name.