Just how did Ronaldo steal Messi's CL goal-scoring crown?

There was a time where Leo Messi boasted a 13 strike advantage over Cristiano Ronaldo in the goal scoring charts of the Champions League.

Yet an incredible couple of years for the Portuguese has seen him become the undisputed top dog in the competition, at the expense of his great rival.

A lifelong debate over who is the better player to have ever played the game, will no doubt rage on long after the respective retirements of the Argentine and the Portuguese. 

However, when it comes to the title of top goal scorer in the Champions League; there is one clear victor, and his name is Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Juventus man has enjoyed a stellar few years in the most elite club competition on the planet, scoring an astonishing 83 goals in just six years, to surpass the record of his great rival. 

Of course, Messi consistently continues to add to his own tally, scoring five goals in just two appearances in the competition so far this season. 

Nevertheless, Ronaldo is the man at the top of the Champions League charts, now bragging a 16 goal lead on the Argentine ace. 

Before 2011-12, when Ronaldo broke double figures for the first time in a single European campaign, Lionel Messi was the shining light in the competition. 

The Argentine finished top scorer of the Champions League for four consecutive years, which dovetailed with his run of four consecutive Ballon d'Or wins. 

At that point, two years the junior of the Portuguese, Messi seemed destined to finish far above his great rival, as the unmistakable top scorer of the Champions League. 

Yet, as push truly came to shove for Ronaldo, the forward found yet another level to his game, which saw him flip the standings on its head in the years since.

From 2012-13 onwards, Ronaldo has been a goal scoring machine.  The then Real Madrid man ended his adversary's dominance over the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League top scorer title in that year, and has not bothered to look back since. 

'Los Blancos' sealed 'La Décima' the following year, and in spite of a low key performance in the final itself; Ronaldo still managed to score a penalty, which saw him finish that campaign with 17 goals in the Champions League. 

With Messi only scoring 8 in comparison, the 13 goal lead he had enjoyed for a number of years had been wiped out in rather emphatic fashion.

The end of that particular campaign saw the two men stuck in a deadlock; in total, they had 67 goals each. 

Any player intent on grasping the Ballon d'or is well aware that being the Champions League top scorer that season is particularly important.

Each of the last 11 winners of the top individual prize in the game, have been either top scorer or joint top scorer of the Champions League. 

Keen to catch his rival on that distinct front also, Ronaldo knew he had to continue his incredible form in European games. 

Perhaps the coexistence of Ronaldo's desire to be the best and Real Madrid's fixation to be the outright top team in Europe, was the reason behind such an inconceivably dominant past few years. 

'Los Blancos' knew that they could not hope to win the competition without the goals contributed to their cause by the Portuguese.

Likewise, Ronaldo was probably aware that he could not hope to be top scorer in the competition without the service provided by his Real teammates.

And so, in an unprecedented triple triumph for both parties, Ronaldo and Real Madrid would win the respective coveted prizes three times in the next four seasons. 

Ronaldo drew level with Lionel Messi on five Ballon d'or trophies; winning the 2014, 2016, and 2017 editions of the prize. 

Similarly, under the management of Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid would win three consecutive Champions League crowns in 2016, 2017, and 2018. 

Ronaldo and Real's resurgence has ultimately spelled disaster for Messi and Barcelona; whom in the same time period, have failed to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for three years, with the Argentine only scoring 23 goals in comparison. 

The result of this paled form saw Ronaldo reach the milestone of 100 Champions League goals before his rival, a record that, no matter how many goals Messi goes on to score, Ronaldo will have until the end of time.

It is of course, quite possible, that Messi could once more rise like his rival, and snatch back the title that, for so long, appeared bound to be his for all eternity.

When you add all previous factors, to the possibility that Messi could be playing for two years after Ronaldo retires, and not forgetting to mention his still superior scoring rate in the Champions League; 0.83 goals per game to 0.78 for the Portuguese, Messi will have to endure a major slump to not at least run his rival close. 

Therefore, maybe the Argentine need not worry too much about reclaiming the Top scorer crown just yet...