ESPN pundit and former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has voiced his confidence that Lionel Messi will surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s FIFA Club World Cup goal-scoring record during the ongoing 2025 edition of the tournament.
Messi, who now captains Inter Miami, currently sits behind his long-time rival Ronaldo in the competition’s all-time scoring charts. The Portuguese star leads with seven goals in eight appearances—achieved during his time with Manchester United and Real Madrid. Messi, on the other hand, has netted five times in six matches, all during his tenure with Barcelona.
Despite failing to add to his tally in Inter Miami’s goalless draw against Al-Ahly in their tournament opener, Hislop remains optimistic about Messi’s chances. Speaking on ESPN, he emphasized that the new extended format of the Club World Cup works in Messi’s favor.
“I don’t think there is any question that Lionel Messi breaks it,” Hislop stated. “Given the extended format of this competition, I don’t think there is any doubt that Lionel Messi breaks this record. But I don’t think those records stand for very long either because of the extended format.”
Both Messi and Ronaldo have enjoyed glittering careers in the Club World Cup. Messi lifted the trophy three times with Barcelona (2009, 2011, 2015), while Ronaldo claimed it four times—once with Manchester United (2008) and three times with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017).
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Messi to see if he can close the gap—and potentially etch his name at the top of the Club World Cup scoring charts.
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