Messi vs Neymar: Lionel Messi and Neymar are two incredible soccer players. They’ve won lots of awards, both as individuals and with their teams. People think they are among the best and most creative players in the world.
Messi is a classic playmaker. He’s famous for his passing, dribbling, and scoring goals. He’s won the Ballon d’Or award eight times, which is a record. He’s also scored more goals than anyone else for Barcelona and Argentina.
Neymar is a flashy player. He’s known for his fancy dribbling, tricks, and athleticism. He won the FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil, and many companies like to use him in their advertising because he’s so popular.
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Messi vs Neymar
In this article, we’ll check out their career stats to help you decide who might be the best player ever.
Messi vs Neymar All-Time Stats
Messi has scored a remarkable 833 goals in a total of 1075 games for both his club and country. Neymar has scored 375 goals in 631 games. Messi is also known for assisting his teammates more frequently, with 400 assists compared to Neymar’s 251.
When it comes to winning important awards, Messi is in the lead. He has won the Ballon d’Or a record 7 times, while Neymar has never won it.
| Stat | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Total Appearnces | 1056 | 631 |
| Total Goals | 822 | 375 |
| Average | 0.77 | 0.59 |
| Total Assists | 396 | 251 |
| Champions League Goals | 129 | 43 |
| International Goals | 103 | 77 |
| Total Hat-tricks | 57 | 14 |
| Ballon d’Or Awards | 7 | 0 |
| Golden Shoe Awards | 6 | 0 |
| Champions League Titles | 4 | 1 |
| International Titles | 3 | 3 |
Messi vs Neymar Statistics For The 2023/2024 Season
| Stat | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 6 | 5 |
| Goals | 6 | 1 |
| Assists | 2 | 3 |
Messi vs Neymar Statistics For The 2022/2023 Season
In the 2022/2023 season, Messi is doing well. He has scored 30 goals and provided 21 assists for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Interestingly, he’s also joined a new team Inter Miami.
Neymar, on the other hand, has a bit of a tough season. He scored 18 goals and gave 17 assists for PSG in the same season. Unfortunately, Neymar couldn’t play in many matches this season because he was mostly injured.
| Stat | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 47 | 29 |
| Goals | 30 | 18 |
| Assists | 21 | 17 |
Messi vs Neymar Statistics At Club Level
Messi spent most of his career at Barcelona, where he won an incredible 35 trophies, including the Ballon d’Or award seven times. In terms of his career, he has achieved a lot at Barcelona.
Neymar, on the other hand, has played for several clubs including Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Al-Hilal and he’s won a total of 29 trophies.
When it comes to their achievements, Messi has some impressive stats. He scored 721 goals while playing for his clubs, whereas Neymar has scored over 296 goals. Additionally, Messi provided 344 assists, while Neymar has given more than 193 assists. Messi has a clear advantage in individual performance over Neymar.
| Stat | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 889 | 503 |
| Goals | 721 | 296 |
| Assists | 344 | 193 |
| Penalty Goals | 84 | 51 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 101′ | 139′ |
| Minutes Played | 73.014′ | 41.075′ |
Messi vs Neymar Statistics At National Level
Messi achieved something big by winning both the Copa America and the World Cup with Argentina. In other words, Neymar hasn’t been able to secure a major trophy with Brazil yet. However, it’s worth mentioning that Neymar did win the FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil back in 2013.
| Stat | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 178 | 128 |
| Goals | 106 | 79 |
| Assists | 56 | 59 |
| Penalty Goals | 23 | 21 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 139′ | 135′ |
| Minutes Played | 14.770′ | 10.638′ |
Face-To-Face Clashes Between Messi And Neymar
Lionel Messi and Neymar have faced each other six times in total. Messi proved to be the standout player in these matches, scoring a total of six goals, including a memorable hat-trick in one of the games.
Their most recent encounter was in the 2021 Copa America final, where Messi’s Argentina triumphed over Neymar’s Brazil with a score of 1-0. In these six matches, Messi’s team emerged victorious in four of them, while Neymar’s side managed to win two.
| Competition | Matches | Result | Messi Goals | Neymar Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freundschaftsspiele 10/11 | Argentina Vs Brazil | 1:0 | 1 | – |
| FIFA Klub-WM 11/12 | Santos Vs FC Barcelona | 0:4 | 2 | – |
| Freundschaftsspiele 11/12 | Argentina Vs Brazil | 4:3 | 3 | – |
| Freundschaftsspiele 14/15 | Brazil Vs Argentina | 2:0 | – | – |
| WM-Qualifikation Südamerika 15/16 | Brazil Vs Argentina | 3:0 | – | 1 |
| Copa América 2021 | Argentina Vs Brazil | 1:0 | – | – |
| Total | Messi 4 & Neymar 2 | 10:8 | 6 | 1 |
Messi vs Neymar Titles
Messi has an impressive tally of 43 trophies to his name, while Neymar has won a total of 29 trophies in his career. Messi’s extensive list of honors showcases his remarkable success in the world of football.
| Competition | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 10 | 2 |
| Copa del Rey | 7 | 3 |
| Supercopa de España | 8 | 1 |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 1 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 3 | – |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 3 | 1 |
| Ligue 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Coupe de France | – | 3 |
| Coupe de la Ligue | – | 2 |
| Trophée des Champions | 1 | 1 |
| FIFA World Youth Championship | 1 | N/A |
| Summer Olympics | 1 | N/A |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | – |
| Copa América | 1 | N/A |
| South American U-20 Championship | N/A | 1 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | – | 1 |
| Copa do Brasil | – | 1 |
| Campeonato Paulista | – | 3 |
| Copa Libertadores | – | 1 |
| Recopa Sudamericana | – | 1 |
| Olympic Medalist | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 43 | 28 |
Messi vs Neymar Individual Awards
Messi got 56 big awards all by himself, while Neymar got 9. Messi got more awards than Neymar, and he even got the Ballon d’Or eight times. This happened because Messi has always played well for a long time, while Neymar had some injuries and other problems in his career.
| Awards | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 3 | 2 |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | – |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | – |
| UEFA Best Player in Europe | 3 | – |
| Top Goalscorer | 22 | 4 |
| TM-Player of the season | 4 | – |
| Olympic Medalist | 1 | 1 |
| Footballer of the Year | 10 | 1 |
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 2 | – |
| Pichichi Trophy | 8 | – |
| FIFA Puskás Award | – | 1 |
| TOTAL | 56 | 9 |
Messi vs Neymar Penalty Goals
Lionel Messi has scored 110 penalty shots during his career, whereas Neymar has made 74 penalties successfully.
Messi missed on 31 occasions when taking penalty shots, while Neymar missed 15 times. Messi has attempted more penalties in his career, which is why he’s also missed more penalties than Neymar.
| Penalty Goals | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Penalty Goals | 109 | 74 |
| TOTAL | 109 | 74 |
Messi vs Neymar Free Kick Goals
Lionel Messi has netted 64 goals from free-kicks in his career, while Neymar has scored 14 free-kick goals.
| Free Kick Goals (2005-24) | Messi | Neymar |
|---|---|---|
| Free Kick Goals | 64 | 14 |
| TOTAL | 64 | 14 |
Messi And Neymar As Teammates
Lionel Messi and Neymar were on the same soccer team at Barcelona for four years, from 2013 to 2017. During that time, they won some big championships the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the FIFA Club World Cup multiple times. They were also known as a very strong attacking pair on the field.
Messi and Neymar were not just teammates; they were also close friends outside of soccer. They often hung out together at parties and events, and they liked to travel together during their breaks.
But in 2017, Neymar decided to leave Barcelona and go to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). This was a big loss for Barcelona because Neymar was one of the best players in the world. However, Messi understood Neymar’s choice and wished him good luck in Paris.
Messi and Neymar have talked about wanting to play together again in the future, which is a dream come true for many soccer fans. In 2021, Messi joined Neymar at PSG, and they played 45 matches together there.
| FC Barcelona | Lionel Messi | Neymar | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | App | Win | Lost | Goals | Assists | Goals | Assists |
| LaLiga | 108 | 81 | 13 | 101 | 51 | 53 | 44 |
| Supercopa | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| Champions League | 33 | 22 | 7 | 30 | 9 | 16 | 13 |
| Copa del Rey | 18 | 16 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 6 |
| Club World Cup | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | – | 2 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | App | Win | Lost | Goals | Assists | Goals | Assists |
| Champions League 10 5 2 3 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Ligue 1 33 23 6 4 | 33 | 23 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 23 | 13 |
| Trophée des Champions 1 1 0 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Coupe de France 1 0 0 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| TOTAL | 206 | 149 | 30 | 166 | 94 | 109 | 84 |
Messi vs Neymar (FAQS)
Who Has Won More Ballon d’Or Awards? Messi or Neymar
Lionel Messi has received the Ballon d’Or award more times than Neymar. Messi has won the award eight times, which is a record, while Neymar has never won it.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Has Won More European Golden Shoe Awards? Messi or Neymar
Lionel Messi has earned more European Golden Shoe awards than Neymar. Messi has won the award six times, whereas Neymar has never received it.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who’s The Best At Dribbling? Messi or Neymar
Messi and Neymar are both exceptional dribblers, and it’s challenging to definitively say who is better.
Messi has been recognized as the world’s top dribbler by various organizations like Opta and CIES Football Observatory. He possesses a unique ability to change direction and accelerate rapidly, making him extremely hard to defend against. Messi also has a superb understanding of space, allowing him to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Neymar, on the other hand, is also a highly skilled dribbler. He tends to use flashy moves and tricks to get past defenders, adding a flair to his style. Neymar excels in creating space for himself and is particularly dangerous in the attacking third of the field.
Both Messi and Neymar have their distinct dribbling styles, and determining who is the absolute best can be a matter of personal preference. They are both extraordinary talents in their own right.
WINNER: TIE
Who’s The Best At Heading? Messi or Neymar
According to FBref, Messi has scored 69 goals from headers in his career, whereas Neymar has scored 54 goals from headers.
Neymar does have some advantages when it comes to heading the ball. He’s a more physically imposing player and has a height advantage, standing at 6’1″ compared to Messi’s 5’7″. These attributes can indeed make him more effective in aerial situations.
So, based on the statistics and physical attributes, it can be concluded that Neymar is the better header of the ball compared to Messi.
WINNER: Neymar
Who’s The Best At Shooting? Messi or Neymar
Deciding who’s the better scorer between Messi and Neymar is tough. They’re both good and have scored some awesome goals.
WINNER: TIE
Who’s The Best At Free Kicks? Messi or Neymar
Messi is better at taking free kicks than Neymar. Messi has scored 64 free-kick goals, while Neymar has scored 14.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Scores More Hat Tricks? Messi or Neymar
Messi has made 57 hat-tricks in his career, while Neymar has made 14 hat-tricks.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Has Won More Individual Awards? Messi or Neymar
Messi has won 56 individual awards, while Neymar has won 9. Messi has more individual awards than Neymar.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Has Won More Trophies? Messi or Neymar
Messi has won 43 trophies, while Neymar has won 29.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who’s Better At The International Level? Messi or Neymar
Messi’s international record is better than Neymar’s. Messi scored 106 goals for Argentina, while Neymar scored 79 for Brazil. Additionally, Messi won the Copa América in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022 with Argentina, while Neymar hasn’t won any major international trophies with Brazil.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who’s The Best At Passing? Messi or Neymar
Messi is often seen as the better passer compared to Neymar. Messi has superior passing accuracy, and vision, and can execute more challenging passes. He’s also more inventive with his passing, finding teammates in dangerous positions.
While Neymar is a good passer, he’s not on the same level as Messi. Neymar tends to make more direct passes, often opting for long passes or through balls. He’s also not as precise as Messi and makes more mistakes in his passing game.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Has More Assists? Messi or Neymar
Messi has 402 assists in his career, while Neymar has 251 assists.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Has Won More Champions League Titles? Messi or Neymar
Messi has won 4 Champions League titles, whereas Neymar has won 1.
WINNER: Lionel Messi
Who Is Better? Messi or Neymar
Many people see Messi as the better player when compared to Neymar. Messi has more individual awards, trophies, and Champions League titles. He’s also maintained a high level of performance for a longer time.
However, Neymar is also an excellent player. He’s younger than Messi and has plenty of time in his career. Neymar is versatile and can play in various positions. In the future, he might have the potential to surpass Messi.
WINNER: Lionel Messi