Lionel Messi has strengthened his claim as one of the greatest footballers in history. The Argentine tops the list of leading goalscorers in finals, edging out a host of legends, chief among them Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to the "FIFA World Cup Stats" network, Messi leads the ranking with 35 goals across the finals he played for Barcelona and Argentina. Those strikes came in the Champions League, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa América and the World Cup final.
Pelé sits second on 31 goals. The Brazilian legend found the net in almost every final he played, whether in a Santos shirt or with the national team he led to three World Cup titles.
Third place goes to Cristiano Ronaldo, whose 24 goals came at Manchester United, Real Madrid and with Portugal. He saved his best for Champions League finals and international tournaments.
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Several of world football's biggest names round out the list. Neymar takes fourth with 21 goals, while Romário and Robert Lewandowski share fifth, each on 18.
These numbers say plenty about who delivers on the biggest occasions. Greatness is not measured only by goals across a season. It is measured by the ability to be decisive when titles are on the line, and that is precisely where Messi has built his historic edge.