Penalties Messi and Ronaldo All Time Penalty Stats

Messi & Ronaldo Penalty Record

Ronaldo is in the ascendency when it comes to penalties. Excluding shootouts, Ronaldo’s overall penalty conversion rate is 85%, and Messi's overall penalty conversion rate is 78%.

Ronaldo has scored a staggering 170 penalties (with 31 misses) over his whole career, whereas Messi has scored 109 penalties (with 31 misses) - again excluding shootouts. It should be noted however that one of Messi’s “misses” was a deliberate assist for a Luis Suarez goal.

Ronaldo's stats are clearly superior, however he's not necessarily the number one ice-cool penalty king that the media often portray him to be. His penalty record is fantastic, but there are other elite strikers of the same generation who have better conversion rates, such as Lewandowski (91%), Harry Kane (86%) and Ibrahimovic (85%).

Big Penalty Misses

Both players have missed penalties in big games over their careers, sometimes costing their team and sometimes not.

Messi's Big Penalty Misses

• ❌ 2012 Champions League Semi-final vs Chelsea (lost)
• ❌ 2016 Copa America Final vs Chile (penalty shootout) (lost)

Ronaldo's Big Penalty Misses

• ❌ 2008 Champions League Semi-final vs Barcelona (won)
• ❌ 2008 Champions League Final vs Chelsea (penalty shootout) (won)
• ❌ 2012 Champions League Semi-final vs Bayern Munich (penalty shootout) (lost)

Penalty Shootout Records

In penalty shootouts, Messi has scored in 11 out of 13 shootouts (84.6%), and Ronaldo has scored in 11 out of 13 penalty shootouts (84.6%). Ronaldo has also been on the pitch for a further 4 shootouts in which he didn't get the chance to take one due to being scheduled as the 4th or 5th penalty taker.

Messi Penalty Shootout Record

• ✅ Copa America QF 2011 vs Uruguay - scored (lost 5-4) 1st taker
• ✅ World Cup SF 2014 vs Netherlands - scored (won 4-2) 1st taker
• ✅ Copa America QF 2015 vs Colombia - scored (won 5-4) 1st taker
• ✅ Copa America F 2015 vs Chile - scored (lost 4-1) 1st taker
• ❌ Copa America F 2016 vs Chile - missed (lost 4-2) 1st taker
• ✅ Copa America SF 2021 vs Colombia - scored (won 3-2) 1st taker
• ✅ Coupe de France R16 2022 vs Nice - scored (lost 6-5) 1st taker
• ✅ World Cup QF 2022 vs Netherlands - scored (won 4-3) 1st taker
• ✅ World Cup F 2022 vs France - scored (won 4-2) 1st taker
• ✅ Leagues Cup R16 2023 vs FC Dallas - scored (won 5-3) 1st taker
• ✅ Leagues Cup F 2023 vs Nashville - scored (won 10-9) 1st taker
• ✅ US Open Cup SF 2023 vs Cincinnati - scored (won 5-4) 1st taker
• ❌ Copa America QF 2024 vs Ecuador - missed (won 4-2) 1st taker

Won 9 - Lost 4

Ronaldo Penalty Shootout Record

• ✅ Euro 2004 QF vs England - scored (won 6-5) 4th taker
• ✅ FA Cup Final 2005 vs Arsenal - scored (lost 5-4) 3rd taker
• ✅ World Cup QF 2006 vs England - scored (won 3-1) 5th taker
• ❌ Champions League Final 2008 vs Chelsea - missed (won 6-5) 3rd taker
• ✅ EFL Cup Final 2009 vs Spurs - scored (won 4-1) 3rd taker
• ❌ Champions League SF 2012 vs Bayern - missed (lost 3-1) 1st taker
• ✅ Champions League Final 2016 vs Atletico - scored (won 5-3) 5th taker
• ✅ Euro 2016 QF vs Poland - scored (won 5-3) 1st taker
• ✅ FA Cup 2022 R32 vs Middlesbrough - scored (lost 8-7) 4th taker
• ✅ Asian Champions League QF 2024 vs Al-Ain - scored (lost 1-3) 3rd taker
• ✅ Saudi King Cup Final 2024 vs Al Hilal - scored (lost 4-5) 2nd taker
• ✅ Euro 2016 R16 vs Slovenia - scored (won 3-0) 1st taker
• ✅ Euro 2016 QF vs France - scored (lost 3-5) 1st taker

• FA Community Shield Final 2007 vs Chelsea - (won 3-0) scheduled 4th/5th taker
• Euro 2012 SF vs Spain - (lost 4-2) scheduled 5th taker
• Confederations Cup SF 2017 vs Chile - (lost 3-0) scheduled 5th taker
• Coppa Italia Final 2020 vs Napoli - (lost 4-2) scheduled 5th taker

Won 8 - Lost 9

How much do they rely on penalties?

If we look at what proportion penalty goals make up of their overall goal tallies, it's Ronaldo who has a higher percentage of penalty goals to non-penalty goals.

Over his whole career, 18.56% of Ronaldo's goals have been penalties (170/916). In comparison, 12.82% of Messi's career goals have been penalties (109/850).

It's a similar story when it comes to the reliance on penalty goals when scoring hat-tricks. 29 of Ronaldo's 66 career hat-tricks (43.9%) have included a penalty goal, whereas 12 of Messi's 59 career hat-tricks (20.3%) have included a penalty goal.

Who takes more penalties?

In terms of penalty attempts, Ronaldo has taken 61 more in-game penalties than Messi, partly because he's played two more years than Messi, and partly because Messi periodically allows his team mates to take penalties.

The most penalties Messi has taken in a single club season is 17 in 2011/12, scoring 14 - which is also the most he has scored in a single club season.

The most penalties Ronaldo has taken in a club season is 16 in 2014/15 and 2019/20, scoring 13. However, the most penalties Ronaldo has scored in a club season is 14 in 2011/12 (out of 15 penalty attempts), and 14 in 2019/20 (out of 16).

What if we factor in International penalties?

International games don't go by seasons, but if you insist on factoring in internationals, then Messi's most penalties taken in a season is 18 in 2011/12 (14 out of 17 for Barcelona and 1 from 1 for Argentina). These 15 penalty goals for club and country in 2011/12 are also the most Messi has scored in a single season.

Ronaldo's highest number of penalty attempts for club and country in a season is 19, which was in 2019/20.

This is also the most penalty goals Ronaldo has scored in a single season for club and country, with 17 penalties scored.

Most Penalties TAKEN in a Single Season

League Only

• Messi: 11 (2011/12)
• Ronaldo: 13 (2011/12, 2019/20)

All Club Competitions

• Messi: 17 (2011/12)
• Ronaldo: 16 (2014/15, 2019/20)

Club + Country

• Messi: 18 (2011/12) (17 Barcelona + 1 Argentina)
• Ronaldo: 19 (2019/20) (16 Juventus + 3 Portugal)

Most Penalties SCORED in a Single Season

League Only

• Messi: 10 (2011/12)
• Ronaldo: 12 (2011/12, 2019/20)

All Club Competitions

• Messi: 14 (2011/12)
• Ronaldo: 14 (2011/12, 2019/20)

Club + Country

• Messi: 15 (2011/12) (14 Barcelona + 1 Argentina)
• Ronaldo: 17 (2019/20) (14 Juvenuts + 3 Portugal)

More Penalty Stats

What do their goal tallies look like without penalties? To find out, check out our Goals Without Penalties section.

If you’re looking for any other penalty stats, hit us up on Twitter at @mvsrapp, and we'll do our best to help.