Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi: Who excels in goals with the weaker foot?

The debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi does not end at the titles and Ballon d'Or awards, but extends to the finer details, including effectiveness with the non-dominant foot. While Ronaldo is known for the strength of his right foot and Messi for the magic of his left, the numbers reveal a significant advantage for the Portuguese star in scoring with his 'weaker' foot.

Domestic Leagues: Clear Advantage for Ronaldo

Messi: 546 goals, 69 with the non-dominant foot (12.63%).
Ronaldo: 590 goals, 102 with the non-dominant foot (17.28%).
Ronaldo leads by a notable margin in both number and percentage, reflecting his repeated reliance on his left foot despite being naturally right-footed.

Champions League: Relative Closeness

In the Champions League:
Messi: 129 goals, 18 with the non-dominant foot (13.95%).
Ronaldo: 141 goals, 20 with the non-dominant foot (14.18%).
The difference here is very slight, reflecting an offensive complementarity between the two stars at the highest continental levels.

Other Competitions: A Leap for Ronaldo

Messi: 106 goals, 12 with the non-dominant foot (11.32%).
Ronaldo: 88 goals, 27 with the non-dominant foot (30.68%).
These numbers show a clear advantage for Ronaldo in terms of scoring percentage with the left foot in other club competitions.

On the International Stage: A Big Gap

Messi: 115 international goals, 11 with the right foot (9.56%).
Ronaldo: 143 international goals, 33 with the left foot (23.07%).
Once again, the Portugal captain leads by a significant margin in the percentage of goals scored with the non-dominant foot.

Numbers that Reinforce the Narrative of the 'Complete Player'

Ronaldo has stated multiple times that he is the 'most complete' in history, based on his numbers in scoring with his head, both feet, and from set pieces. In contrast, Messi has proven throughout his career his ability to finish with his right foot in crucial moments, despite it being the least used.

Between the language of numbers and considerations of football taste, the superiority in the weaker foot category statistically leans in favor of Ronaldo, while the debate continues without a whistle to signal its end.