FIFA World Cup highlights Messi's dominance over Ronaldo. The Argentine superstar has dominated the statistics with 33 decisive actions, while Ronaldo has only 13. Messi's impact is also more global in critical moments. Messi has played 34 matches, 7 more than Ronaldo (27 matches), in the history of the competition. However, his contribution to goals is even more remarkable. The Argentine superstar has 33 decisive actions (21 goals and 12 assists), while Ronaldo has only 13 (11 goals and 2 assists). The gap has widened even further in the final phases. Messi has been involved in 17 goals during this phase, 17 times more than Ronaldo, who has only been directly involved in one goal. Not only does he surpass his opponent in terms of goals, but the Argentine captain also dominates the statistics that testify to his influence on the game. Messi has made 101 decisive passes, compared to only 27 for Ronaldo. In terms of dribbling ability, the eight-time Ballon d'Or also surpasses his rival with 143 successful dribbles, compared to 37 for the Portuguese star. In terms of individual and collective awards, Messi has a clear advantage. He is the only player in history to have won two World Cup Ballons d'Or and lifted the trophy once with Argentina. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has never won this individual distinction. The debate about the greatest player in football history can continue, but if we only consider the World Cup, the statistics already show a difference. Messi surpasses Ronaldo not only in terms of goals and assists, but also his impact is more global in critical moments.