Cristiano Ronaldo did for Portugal what Lionel Messi could not for Argentina: A deep dive into the two legacies

Ronaldo transformed Portugal's football legacy, leading the nation to its first senior titles. In contrast, Messi enhanced Argentina's already rich history.

Updated on: Oct 10, 2025, 18:05:29 IST

By Probuddha Bhattacharjee

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How often have we seen one man change the history of sports in a country? These are rare instances, but a few personalities often put a nation on the world map and inspire generations to continue the legacy.

Lionel Messi for Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal (AFP/Reuters)

Cristiano Ronaldo will be remembered as a name that built a legacy of football in Portugal. Yes, there were players like Eusébio, Fernando Peyroteo, and Luis Figo, but even during their time, Portugal remained nearly men. Then CR7 arrived in the landscape, and they crossed thresholds they never had before.

On the other hand, Argentina has been a great footballing nation since time immemorial. They had a cabinet already full of trophies. Lionel Messi enriched the footballing history of an already great nation in the sports. Personally, the Argentine maestro has transcended and changed the definition of brilliance in football, but when it comes to contribution to the nation’s history, did he achieve the same as Cristiano? Well, let us examine.

The point of comparison

Well, first of all, let us set the stage for comparison between the two Greats. To avoid the apples and oranges arguments, this analysis will use two ledgers:

Strict Majors: FIFA World Cup or Continental Championships (EURO/Copa America)
Extended Majors: Strict majors plus intercontinental titles and the UEFA Nations League.

Portugal: From empty cabinet to era of firsts

Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in 2003. Prior to this, Portugal had no senior titles. They made it to the finals, but finished as runners-up on occasion, but never the champions.

Portugal's senior titles with and without Cristiano Ronaldo (HT)

With Ronaldo

EURO 2016: Portugal’s first major title
UEFA Nations League 2019: the inaugural crown
UEFA Nations League 2025: the first team to win the title twice

What this shows: Portugal’s history is inseparable from Ronaldo’s era. On any reasonable modern definition that includes the Nations League, they have won three senior trophies and all during the period he was active for them.

Argentina: Full cupboard-then the missing jewel

Before Lionel Messi enchanted the footballing landscape, Argentina had won two World Cups in 1978 and 1986. When it comes to Copa Americas, they had 14 titles under their belt. So, that makes 16 major titles. If we count the extended titles, then including the 1992 King Fahd/Confederations and 1993 Artemio Franchi, they had 18 titles.

Argentina comparison before and with Lionel Messi (HT)

With Messi

World Cup 2022
Copa America in 2021 and 2024
Finalissma 2022

What this shows: Argentina were giants in the football world already. Messi authored their modern chapter with definitive contributions.

Reading the numbers

Trophy contribution to their respective nations - Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo (HT)

While Portugal’s story is one of transformation, Argentina’s is that of culmination. Ronaldo changed the history of football in the nation with his contributions, while Messi enriched an already sparkling cabinet.

The stories may be different, but the legacies of both these players are equally defining. But when measured alongside the existing history of their respective teams, we can say that Ronaldo will leave behind a more definitive and influential footprint on Portugal’s football than Lionel Messi on Argentina.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Probuddha Bhattacharjee
Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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