Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo - season by season comparison of their goal scoring records

4. 2013-14

The year of the underdog. Atletico Madrid and Diego El Cholo Simeone stunned all and sundry by pipping both Real Madrid and Barcelona to the post and winning La Liga on the very last day (a heroic 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou providing the ultimate climax) as they beat both giants by 3 points.

The Madrid side, though, had the better between their private battle as they went on to beat an inspired Atletico in the Champions League final to win their much coveted tenth European crown, La Decima.

Our main protaginists, though, had differing fortunes. While Ronaldo kept up his stunning form to cross the 50-goal-a-season barrier for the fourth season running and powered Madrid to that mythical Decima, Messi’s goal-scoring dipped sharply and that in the end proved enough for the Portuguese to reclaim victory in their never ending battle for individual supermacy.

Pichichi Award winner – Cristiano Ronaldo (31)

Champions League Golden Boot – Cristiano Ronaldo (17 – a record)

FIFA Ballon d’Or winner (2014) – Cristiano Ronaldo

GOAL TALLY

Lionel Messi: 41 in 46

Cristiano Ronaldo: 51 in 47