Lionel Messi has overtaken Ronaldo as the player with most Guinness World Records, the organization confirmed on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
According to a report posted by the British organization, the Inter Miami forward has 41 Guinness World Records, one ahead of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Guinness World Records wrote on Twitter: “For now, Messi is clear of Ronaldo 👀 Lionel Messi has 41 @GWR titles whereas Cristiano Ronaldo has 40…”
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were not the only players on the list, other stars in the Guinness World Record report include Robert Lewandowski with nine Guinness World Records.
Wantaway PSG star Kylian Mbappe has five records while fellow PSG teammate and Brazilian star Neymar is on four records.
Recall that we reported that Messi bagged the Guinness World Records for most FIFA World Cup matches played by a player (26) after he led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Records he set include: Most Man of the Match awards won at the FIFA World Cup: 11; First person to assist at five different FIFA World Cups; Most FIFA World Cup appearances as captain: 19; and Most appearances in FIFA World Cup tournaments by a player (male): 5.
With the new Guinness World Records posted by the organization, Messi now has 41 records; one ahead of second-placed Ronaldo with 40 records.
Messi recently joined David Beckham’s MLS team Inter Miami after being heavily linked with a return to Barcelona or moving to Saudi Arabia.
Messi cooled expectations over the possibility of playing in the tournament in North America, even though fans are looking forward to seeing him in action in 2026.
The Argentine was asked by Efe News Agency about playing in the next edition of the World Cup and he responded: “I think not. [Qatar] was my last World Cup.”
“I’ll see how things go, but as it is right now, no, I won’t go to the next World Cup.”
Lionel Messi, 36, scored seven goals and provided three assists to help Argentina win the third World Cup title in their history in December 2023.
Messi scored a fine free-kick on his debut against Cruz Azul before scoring a brace versus Atlanta on Wednesday, 26th July, 2023.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine footballer who was born on 24 June, 1987 and plays as a forward for MLS side Inter Miami and captains the Argentina national team.
The Argentine is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Messi has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards and a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team.
Lionel Messi’s Guinness World Records
- Most successful dribbler in FIFA 12
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 13
- Most powerful sports star
- Most Best FIFA Men’s Player awards
- Most FIFA World Cup matches played in by an individual
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 15
- Most hat-tricks in a La Liga career
- Most wins of the Ballon d’Or
- Most assists in a single La Liga season
- Most goals in a career for a single football (soccer) club
- Most consecutive games scored in La Liga
- Most different clubs scored against in the football (soccer) UEFA Champions League
- The most different clubs scored against in the football (soccer) UEFA Champions League
- Most goals scored in a FIFA World Cup as captain
- First player to score more than one hat-trick in a Champions League season
- Youngest player to score 50 goals in the UEFA Champions League
- View this recordYoungest player to score 50 goals in the UEFA Champions League
- Most assists in La Liga by a football (soccer) player
- Most appearances on a videogame cover by a soccer player (multiple franchises)
- Most wins of the La Liga top scorer award (Pichichi Trophy)
- Most football goals scored in a calendar year
- Most wins of the European Golden Shoe award
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 11
- Most appearances in the Spanish football (soccer) La Liga by a foreign player
- Most football (soccer) La Liga goals by a foreign player
- First player to assist in five different FIFA World Cups (male)
- Most liked image post on Instagram
- Most consecutive La Liga football (soccer) seasons to score 20 goals
- Most goals scored in a season in the top division of Spanish football
- Most goals scored in a La Liga career
- Highest annual earnings for a footballer (current year)
- Most consecutive UEFA Champions League football seasons scored in
- Most goals scored by a substitute in a Copa America match
- Most hat-tricks scored during a UEFA Champions league career by an individual
- Highest-ranked player in PES 2015
- Most Man of the Match awards won at the FIFA World Cup finals (male)
- Most goals scored in a UEFA Champions League match
- Most appearances in FIFA World Cup finals by a football player
- Most FIFA World Cup matches played in by a player (26)
- First person to assist at five different FIFA World Cups
- Most FIFA World Cup appearances as captain: 19
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Guinness World Records
- Most followers on Instagram
- Most followers on Instagram for a male
- Most UEFA Champions League finals scored in
- Most followers on Twitter for an athlete
- Most followers on Twitter for an athlete
- First player to score in five different FIFA World Cups (male)
- First person with 500 million followers on Instagram
- Most viewed Wikipedia page for an athlete (male)
- Longest gap between English Premier League (EPL) appearances
- First player to score 100 UEFA Champions League goals
- Most liked person on Facebook
- Most followers on Instagram for an athlete (male)
- Most likes for an athlete on Facebook
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 18 (active)
- Most goals scored in the football (soccer) UEFA European Championships including qualifying matches
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 18 overall
- Most UEFA Champions League appearances
- Most UEFA European Championships goals by a football (soccer) player
- Most goals in the football (soccer) FIFA Club World Cup by an individual
- Most goals scored in a football (soccer) European club competitions career
- Most successful penalties taken by a player in La Liga
- Most consecutive Champions League matches scored in (individual)
- Most hat-tricks in a UEFA Champions League season
- Most appearances in the UEFA European Championships by a football (soccer) player
- Most Champions League goals
- Most international football (soccer) caps by an individual (male)
- Most liked person on Facebook (male)
- Most followers on Instagram for an athlete
- Most UEFA European Championship tournaments scored in by a player
- Highest annual earnings for an athlete (current year)
- Top goalscorer in FIFA 14
- Most viewed English Wikipedia page for an athlete
- Highest annual earnings for a footballer (male, current year)
- Most goals in a UEFA Champions League season by an individual
- Most goals scored in international football (soccer) matches by an individual (male)
- Most Champions League goals scored in a calendar year
- Highest-rated player in FIFA 19
- Most hat-tricks scored during a UEFA Champions league career by an individual
- Most goals in a football European club competition (single season)
- Highest-ranked player in PES 2015
Among the two greatest footballers ever, who is likely to break the most Guinness World Records before they retire? Tell us more in the comment section below…