Lionel Messi Vs Raúl: Comparing Lionel Messi and Raúl González Blanco is like weighing two football legends, each with their own unique strengths. Messi, often considered the greatest player ever, boasts a record-breaking eight Ballon d’Or wins and holds top spots in La Liga and Champions League goal-scoring history.
His play is marked by prolific scoring, skilled dribbling, and visionary playmaking. With Barcelona, he secured four Champions League titles and 10 La Liga trophies, adding a major international triumph with Argentina in the 2022 World Cup.
On the other side, Raúl stands as Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, achieving success with six La Liga titles and three Champions League victories. His versatility as an attacker, intelligent movement, and leadership set him apart. While Messi edges out Raúl in total goals, the latter boasts a slightly better goals-to-game ratio. Messi shines as a superior playmaker, while Raúl leans more towards being a goal-scoring threat.
Both have achieved remarkable success at the club level, but Messi’s international triumph with Argentina enhances his legacy. In the eyes of history, Messi’s individual awards and artistic style give him a slight edge.
Lionel Messi Vs Raúl
In this article, we compare Lionel Messi and Raúl by looking at their goals, assists, titles, and individual awards. We aim to determine who is the better player.
Messi vs Raúl All-Time Stats
| Stat | Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|---|
| Total Appearances | 1069 | 1017 |
| Total Goals | 827 | 427 |
| Average | 0.77 | 0.41 |
| Total Assists | 400 | 146 |
| Champions League Goals | 129 | 71 |
| International Goals | 103 | 44 |
| Total Hat-tricks | 57 | 3 |
| Ballon d’Or Awards | 8 | – |
| Golden Shoe Awards | 6 | – |
| Champions League Titles | 4 | 3 |
| International Titles | 5 | – |
Messi vs Raúl Stats At Club Level
| Stat | Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 881 | 915 |
| Goals | 719 | 383 |
| Assists | 340 | 136 |
| Penalty Goals | 84 | 12 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 101′ | 196 |
| Minutes Played | 72.402′ | 74.970 |
Messi vs Raúl Stats At the National Level
| Stat | Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 178 | 102 |
| Goals | 106 | 44 |
| Assists | 56 | 10 |
| Penalty Goals | 23 | 3 |
| Minutes Per Goal | 141′ | 172′ |
| Minutes Played | 14.554′ | 7.567′ |
Face-To-Face Clashes Between Messi And Raúl
| Competition | Matches | Result | Messi Goals | Raúl Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaLiga 05/06 | Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona | 0:3 | – | – |
| LaLiga 06/07 | Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona | 2:0 | – | 1 |
| LaLiga 06/07 | Barcelona Vs Real Madrid | 3:3 | 3 | – |
| LaLiga 07/08 | Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona | 4:1 | – | 1 |
| LaLiga 08/09 | Barcelona Vs Real Madrid | 2:0 | 1 | – |
| LaLiga 08/09 | Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona | 2:6 | 3 | – |
| LaLiga 09/10 | Barcelona Vs Real Madrid | 1:0 | – | – |
| LaLiga 09/10 | Real Madrid Vs FC Barcelona | 0:2 | 1 | – |
| Total | 8 Games | 18:11 | 7 | 2 |
Messi vs Raúl Titles
| Competition | Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 10 | 6 |
| Copa del Rey | 7 | – |
| Supercopa de España | 8 | 4 |
| UEFA Champions League | 4 | 3 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 3 | 1 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 3 | – |
| Ligue 1 | 2 | – |
| Trophée des Champions | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Youth Championship | 1 | – |
| Summer Olympics | 1 | – |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | – |
| Copa América | 1 | – |
| CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions | 1 | – |
| Dallas Cup | – | 2 |
| Intercontinental Cup | – | 2 |
| DFB-Pokal | – | 1 |
| DFL-Supercup | – | 1 |
| Qatar Stars League | – | 1 |
| North American Soccer League: Spring Season | – | 1 |
| North American Supporters’ Trophy | – | 1 |
| Emir of Qatar Cup | – | 1 |
| Soccer Bowl | – | 1 |
| TOTAL | 43 | 25 |
Messi vs Raúl Individual Awards
| Awards | Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|---|
| The Best FIFA Men’s Player | 8 | – |
| Ballon d’Or | 8 | – |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | – |
| UEFA Best Player in Europe | 3 | |
| Top Goalscorer | 23 | 5 |
| TM-Player of the season | 4 | – |
| Olympic Medalist | 1 | – |
| Footballer of the Year | 10 | 5 |
| FIFA World Cup Golden Ball | 2 | – |
| Pichichi Trophy | 8 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 73 | 12 |
Messi vs Raúl Penalty Goals
| Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|
| 109 | 15 |
| 109 | 15 |
Messi vs Raúl Free Kick Goals
| Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|
| 64 | 2 |
| 64 | 2 |
Messi vs Raúl Hat Tricks
| Messi | Raúl |
|---|---|
| 57 | 3 |
| 57 | 3 |
(FAQS)
Who’s The Best At Dribbling? Messi or Raúl
Messi is known for being close to the ground and quickly changing direction. He can easily go past defenders with smooth footwork that looks effortless. His dribbling seems like he’s making it up on the spot, reacting quickly to pressure and making space out of nowhere.
Raúl had a strong body and could accelerate explosively. This allowed him to push through defenders using sheer force. While his dribbling wasn’t as fancy as Messi’s, he made up for it with his speed and quick decision-making.
WINNER: Messi
Who’s The Best At Heading? Messi or Raúl
Messi is mainly focused on dribbling, creating plays, and scoring during open play. Although he does score with headers at times, it’s not as common as it is for Raúl.
WINNER: Raúl
Who’s The Best At Passing? Messi or Raúl
Messi is said to have one of the best abilities to see the game. He can notice teammates moving into open areas almost like he has telepathic awareness. Using both feet, he can make very precise passes, whether they’re through balls, crosses, or long-range passes, all done with amazing accuracy and timing.
On the other hand, Raúl may not be as flashy as Messi, but his passing was really smart and effective. He knew when to make a simple pass, change the direction of the play, or make a risky pass through tight spaces. His timing for making runs and predicting where his teammates would be was crucial for his success.
WINNER: Messi
Who Is Better? Messi or Raúl
Deciding between Messi and Raúl depends on what you like in a football player. If you like someone who scores a lot and has amazing individual skills, go for Messi. If you prefer a player with a well-rounded skillset, consistency, and leadership, then Raúl might be your choice. It’s all about what you value more in a player.
I think Messi is the better player. He played well for a longer time and achieved more success.
WINNER: Messi
