According to JILIPARK report on October 14, Spanish media Marca has published detailed statistics on three football superstars — Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé. The comparison includes their scoring milestones and assist records.
The data shows that both Messi and Mbappé had scored nearly 400 goals before turning 27, while Ronaldo managed just over 200 during the same stage of his career.
Messi reached this milestone much faster — by 2014, when he had just turned 27, he had already scored 394 goals in 513 matches, averaging 0.78 goals per game. At that age, Messi had also collected four UEFA Champions League titles and five Ballon d’Or awards.
Mbappé, who turns 27 on December 20, has a remarkably similar tally — 394 goals in 530 games, slightly less efficient than Messi but still phenomenal. With 12 matches left before his 27th birthday, it’s almost certain he’ll surpass the 400-goal mark. In comparison, Ronaldo had scored only 213 goals by age 27.
Marca noted that the numbers of today’s football prodigies are soaring, largely because many begin their professional careers at a younger age — sometimes as early as 16. One prime example is Lamine Yamal, who at just 18 has already played 130 professional matches. However, Marca emphasized that longevity remains the ultimate test, and very few players can sustain the peak level of Messi’s career.
Currently, Mbappé has scored in ten consecutive matches, showing incredible form. But whether he can truly match the long-term dominance of Messi or Ronaldo remains to be seen. Messi once scored in 21 straight matches, a record that still stands. Another player with the potential to challenge that mark is Erling Haaland. In the recent World Cup qualifier, Haaland netted a hat-trick to lead Norway to a 5–0 victory over Israel. At 25 years old, he already boasts 51 goals in 46 international matches, averaging more than one goal per game. With 17 goals in 12 World Cup qualifiers, he’s now just 22 goals shy of the all-time record.
Finally, Marca provided Messi’s official updated stats — 890 career goals and 435 assists. This figure exceeds the commonly cited global total of 396 assists, reaffirming Messi’s position as the greatest playmaker and scorer in football history. The outlet concluded that it would be extremely difficult for even Mbappé to ever surpass these astonishing numbers.
