A recent academic study has reignited football’s eternal debate: who was more influential—Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid or Lionel Messi at Barcelona? According to research conducted by economists José María Cordero and Daniel Santín from the University of Extremadura and the Complutense University of Madrid, the Portuguese star had a greater impact on the overall productivity and efficiency of Los Blancos than the Argentine did for the Blaugrana.

A Groundbreaking Analysis of Efficiency and Performance

The study, which covers every player from Real Madrid and FC Barcelona between 1955 and 2024, applies for the first time applied economics tools—commonly used in sectors like education and healthcare—to measure individual and collective productivity within professional football.

The researchers found that Real Madrid players were, on average, more productive than Barcelona’s in the goalkeeper and midfield positions, while defenders performed at similar levels for both clubs. In attack, Barcelona’s forwards showed a slight edge over their Madrid counterparts… except when factoring in Cristiano Ronaldo.

In goal, the study highlights the efficiency of Keylor Navas, who won multiple international titles in just five seasons, and of Busquets, who claimed 16 trophies despite spending much of his career as a substitute. In defense, Ronald Koeman and Fernando Hierro stand out as icons known for their goal-scoring ability and leadership.

Ronaldo and Messi: Both Productive, but With Different Impact

Up front, there were no surprises: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were by far the most productive players in their respective clubs. However, the data reveals that the Portuguese forward’s presence was more decisive for Real Madrid’s collective performance than Messi’s was for Barcelona’s.

According to the researchers, removing Cristiano from the analysis would cause Real Madrid’s offensive productivity to drop much more sharply than Barcelona’s without Messi. “No other player had such a significant impact on the evolution of his team’s overall performance,” the authors noted.

Legends such as Raúl, Karim Benzema, and Luis Suárez also posted impressive numbers, but none matched the influence of Ronaldo and Messi during their clubs’ golden eras.

The report concludes that beyond individual brilliance, Cristiano Ronaldo was the most decisive player for Real Madrid’s overall productivity, reinforcing the idea that his impact went beyond goals—he transformed the efficiency of an entire generation in white.