IFFHS announced surprising results, Messi or Ronaldo who is better?

The debate about the greatest player of all time is always a hot topic among football fans and experts.

In recent years, Messi and Ronaldo have always been at the center of debate over who is the best player, although one cannot ignore many legends who have shone throughout the decades such as: Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Pele, Alfredo Di Stefano...

Ronaldo and Messi are often debated as the best player of all time (Photo: Getty).

However, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) has just released a list of the best players of all time to end this debate.

Accordingly, Messi topped the list as the best player in history, while Cristiano Ronaldo ranked fourth, after Pele (second) and Maradona (third). However, IFFHS did not provide details on the ranking method.

Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS), is the player with the most collective titles in history, as well as the most individual awards. The Argentine star has won 46 titles, including the 2022 World Cup, 4 Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, and 2 Copa America titles.

The Argentine superstar has also won 53 individual awards, including a record eight FIFA Ballon d'Ors. He has also won three FIFA The Best awards, two UEFA Men's Player of the Year awards, eight Pichichi trophies (top scorer in La Liga), six European Golden Shoes and most recently the MLS Most Valuable Player award.

The remaining names in the top 10 greatest players of all time announced by IFFHS are Dutch legend Johan Cruyff in 5th place, Brazilian player Ronaldo Nazario in 6th place, French player Zinedine Zidane in 7th place and German player Franz Beckenbauer in 8th place. The top 10 is completed by Alfredo Di Stefano and Ronaldinho.

The legacy of Pele and Maradona

If Messi is the most decorated player of all time, then there is no denying that Pele and Maradona are two of the most important figures in the history of football and sports in general. As icons at home and abroad, they have shaped their legacies through incredible feats.

Among his many records, Pele won three World Cups, still the only footballer to do so. He also won two Copa Libertadores with Santos. Pele and Maradona were named joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award.

The Argentine legend won the 1986 World Cup, winning the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament. He won a total of 12 trophies during his career, including two Serie A titles with Napoli and a UEFA Cup.

IFFHS announces top 10 best players of all time (Photo: IFFHS).

Cristiano Ronaldo's record

The Portuguese star has certainly achieved iconic status thanks to his 33 trophies, including five Champions League titles and a Euro with Portugal (in 2016). On an individual basis, he has won five Ballon d'Or awards and three UEFA Men's Player of the Year awards.

He is also the only player to have scored more than 900 goals in official matches. Among his scoring records, he is the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League (140) and in international matches (136).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/iffhs-cong-bo-ket-qua-bat-ngo-messi-va-ronaldo-ai-xuat-sac-hon-20250519083411216.htm