Cristiano Ronaldo couldnāt end his title drought with Al Nassr after the team fell to Al Ahli Saudi FC on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the Saudi Super Cup final. This marks Ronaldoās third consecutive final loss at the club level, sparking comparisons with Lionel Messiās career.
While Ronaldo has now lost three straight finals with Al Nassr, Messi has never lost consecutive club finals. However, when considering his international career with Argentina, Messi did experience two back-to-back final losses. First, Argentina fell to Chile in the 2015 Copa America, and just one month later, Messiās Barcelona lost the Spanish Super Cup to Athletic Club.
The 2015 Copa America final against Chile, played on July 4, is particularly memorable as it could have been Messiās first major international title. After a strong tournament, Argentina couldnāt overcome Chile in regulation time, ultimately losing 4-1 on penalties.
One month later, Messi reached another final with Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup against Athletic Club in a two-leg series. Bilbao dominated the first leg 4-0, leaving Barcelona with a nearly impossible task for the second leg, which ended 1-1. Athletic Club secured the trophy, giving Messi his second consecutive final loss when counting international and club competitions.
Lionel Messi during the 2015 Super Cup with Barcelona against Athletic Club. (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
For Ronaldo, success with Al Nassr has been elusive. His recent defeat to Al Ahli marks his third consecutive club final loss. He had previously lost twice to Al Hilal: in the 2024 Saudi Super Cup and the 2024 Kingās Cup. However, at the international level, Ronaldo lifted the 2025 UEFA Nations League trophy after Portugal defeated Spain on penalties.
see also
Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Al Nassr in Saudi Super Cup final: How many goals does he need now to reach 1,000?
Messiās record in finals
Messi has played in a total of 43 finals (50 if two-leg series are counted). His most recent final came with Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup against Nashville, which ended in victory for the Herons.
Overall, Messi boasts an impressive record in finals at both club and international level: 43 finals, 31 wins, and only 12 losses. He is also the all-time top scorer in finals, with 35 goals scored across single matches and two-leg series.
Ronaldoās record in finals
Cristiano Ronaldo has competed in 37 finals across clubs and national team competitions. He has a positive record, winning 25 titles and losing 12, while scoring 25 goals in those matches.
Ronaldoās most recent final victory came with Portugal in the UEFA Nations League, defeating Spain on penalties. At the club level, his last title in a final came with Juventus, a 2-1 win over Atalanta in the 2021 Coppa Italia.
