How does LeBron James compare to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: Trophies and Net Worth

NBA history was made Tuesday night as contemporary icon LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record.

James fell 38 points after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 133-130 from the Oklahoma City Thunder to fall further in the West, but the defeat paled in comparison to the 38-year-old’s achievement.

Many believe Kareem’s scoring record, set at 38,387 in 1989, to be unbeatable, but LeBron’s longevity and continued production have allowed him to surpass the center for generations.

It’s a record that has propelled him to the forefront of GOAT discussions, and while Michael Jordan’s legacy is hard to overlook, there’s no denying that LeBron is a very strong contender in such discussions.

Here’s how his accomplishments compare to two of football’s all-time greats in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It’s hard to compare accomplishments across sports, but we’ll give it a go, starting with scoring.

LeBron has now scored the most points in NBA history after passing Kareem on Tuesday night. His 38 points against the Thunder means his bullish score now sits at 38,390.

Points are comparable to goals, and Ronaldo has scored the most goals in football history. The Portuguese great has scored 820 goals for club and country in his career. Messi’s tally of 795 means he is second in the all-time rankings.

LeBron is also a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, an award we will compare to the Ballon d’Or, which Messi has won seven times. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is a five-time winner. The basketball star has also been named the NBA Finals MVP on four occasions, and while the Finals are spread over several games, it’s a bit like being named Man of the Match in the Champions League final.

Messi and Ronaldo have both been named MVP of the Major Match only once.

Moving on to the team’s achievements, Ronaldo is crowned five times in the Champions League dwarfing LeBron four times, while Messi is the winner of the Champions League four times. Like Ronaldo, James has won the most with multiple teams.

On the international stage, each of these athletes has achieved great success. However, we have to value Messi’s World Cup win in 2022 higher than LeBron’s two gold medals given the United States’ superiority in the event.

James is rich. Horror shock, I know.

He became the highest-paid NBA player of all time in 2022 when he penned an extension with the Lakers, and Forbes His total wealth is estimated at $1.2 billion. James has made over $528 million in secured money throughout his NBA career, with money from endorsements, business investments, and his own entertainment production company making up the rest of his net worth.

Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated to be just under half of LeBron’s $500 million fortune, but his lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr is poised to boost that figure. Meanwhile, Messi is said to be worth over $600 million.

He must be a Liverpool fan, right? I mean, he didn’t pretend to know Peter Crouch for absolutely nothing?!

Well, he’s actually a huge fan of the club and James’ partnership with Liverpool owners FSG means he owns a minority stake (2%) in the Reds. His investment dates back to 2011, and he is said to have made very good profits from his success on the pitch under Jurgen Klopp.

mosques Describe his visit to Anfield more than a decade ago as “one of the best single experiences” of his life. During his trip, he met king Kenny Dalglish and then first team Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt before watching Liverpool take on Manchester United.

He has lied about his loyalty to the Reds ever since.