Messi and Ronaldo are rivals when it comes to goals and trophies. But in terms of penalty cards, who has to receive more red cards?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have always competed against each other in terms of goals and trophies, but there is one ‘achievement’ that no one wants more than the other, that is the number of red cards.

Both superstars are the most noticed players when on the field, it is not surprising that they are constantly fouled or tried to provoke by opponents.

But can Messi compare with Ronaldo in the number of red cards?

Red Card Numbers of Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi

Messi received his first red card on his Argentina national team debut against Hungary in 2005.

Also in the national team shirt, Messi was sent off in the third place match in the Copa America against Chile in July 2019, after a heated conflict with Gary Medel. It was the first time he received a red card after 14 years of playing.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has been shown red cards several times while playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Notably, Ronaldo tends to lose his temper in derbies. Typically, while playing for Manchester United, Ronaldo was shown a red card in derbies with Man City in 2006 and 2008.

During his time at Real Madrid, Ronaldo was shown a red card in the 2013 Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid.

CR7 was also shown a red card in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup in 2017, the match that is considered the top match between Messi and Ronaldo.

But looking at the statistics table, the number of red cards is really Ronaldo’s sad record, CR7 has 11 red cards compared to Messi’s 3.

Direct red card numbers of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite receiving many red cards during their careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still considered living legends of world football. With unmatched talent and track record, they have proven to the world that discipline is not the deciding factor for a player’s success. However, to become a top-class player, they need to stay rational and control their emotions in all situations on the pitch.