Lionel Messi surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo as footballer with most Guinness World Records as top five revealed

Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the active footballer with the most Guinness World Records.

Messi has already claimed seven Ballon d’Ors and 43 trophies across his career, including a World Cup, Copa America, and four Champions Leagues.

And he also happens to be the player with the most world records. The Argentina captain's spate of records includes the most World Cup Player of the Match awards (11), having claimed five in the Qatar World Cup alone.

Messi is also the youngest player to have netted 50 Champions League goals, having reached a half-century in 2012, aged just 24.

The then-Barcelona star was just 24 when he scored his 50th goal in the UEFA Champions League, achieving such a feat on April 3, 2012. Messi also holds the niche record of being the most featured footballer on video game covers, having been the face of 10 different games.

Cristiano Ronaldo is next on the list of footballers to have claimed the most Guinness World Records. The Portugal international has one record fewer than his Argentina rival.

Indeed, the 38-year-old was honoured with a Guinness World Record earlier this year for being the top-earning sportsperson on the planet.

Ronaldo signed for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in January last season and earned a staggering £107.5 million in the 12 months leading up to May 1st, 2023.

For now, Messi is clear of Ronaldo 👀

Lionel Messi has 41 @GWR titles whereas Cristiano Ronaldo has 40... pic.twitter.com/rrXt10puFF

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) August 1, 2023

Robert Lewandowski is the player with the third most Guinness World Records. However the Barcelona forward only has nine - some 31 fewer than Ronaldo.

Lewandowski's records include the fastest four goal haul, fastest five-goal haul, and the most goals scored by a substitute.

Kylian Mbappe is fourth on the list, boasting five world records despite only being 24. Indeed, the France captain is the youngest player to have scored 100 goals in the top division of French football.

Mbappe’s Paris Saint-Germain team-mate (for now) Neymar Jr completes the top five, having garnered four Guinness World Records in his career.