An editorial timeline
Scroll through both careers. Every debut, every trophy, every record — the parallel story of football's two greatest modern players.
Senior debut · Sporting CP
Signs for Manchester United
Senior debut · FC Barcelona
First La Liga goal
Olympic Gold · Beijing
First Ballon d'Or · Premier League title
First Ballon d'Or · Treble with Barcelona
World-record move to Real Madrid
Second consecutive Ballon d'Or
Third Ballon d'Or · UCL winner
91 goals in a calendar year (record)
Euro semi-final
Second Ballon d'Or
World Cup Final · Golden Ball
Ballon d'Or · UCL winner
Fifth Ballon d'Or · Treble
Euro Champion · Ballon d'Or · UCL winner
Ballon d'Or · UCL winner
Signs for Juventus
Sixth Ballon d'Or
Copa América Champion · joins PSG
🏆 WORLD CUP CHAMPION · Golden Ball
Eighth Ballon d'Or · joins Inter Miami
Joins Al-Nassr · Saudi Pro League top scorer
Copa América Champion (sidelined in final)
Euro 2024 · all-time tournament appearances record