Автор фото, Getty Images
The World Cup in America will become the stage for the main showdown of the last 20 years in world football between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair of geniuses, who have defined an entire era in the history of the planet’s most popular game, will clash in a final and decisive battle for the title of the greatest contemporary footballer.
Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the most decorated players of all time. Together, they have almost 2,000 career goals and 85 club and international trophies.
But who is better?
If judged by the number of goals or Champions League wins – Ronaldo.
If by the number of “Ballon d’Or” awards and tournament trophies – Messi.
Ten years ago, Cristiano seemed to have pulled ahead of Leo when he helped Portugal win the European Championship. But since then, Messi has more than compensated – leading Argentina to two Copa América victories and to triumph in the last World Cup in 2022.
“Messi has nothing left to win. He has what Ronaldo doesn’t – the World Cup,” says Joshua Robinson, co-author of a book about Messi and Ronaldo.
This year’s championship will give the 41-year-old Portuguese forward a final chance to rectify this omission, and the 39-year-old Argentine midfielder a chance to definitively end his international career with a second consecutive World Cup and permanently settle the question of the era’s greatest football genius.
Veterans’ Showdown
For Messi and Ronaldo, the current World Cup is the sixth in their careers.
No great footballer has represented their national team at the main tournament for so long. Only the current Mexican national team goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, shares this record with Messi and Ronaldo.
Messi is the all-time top scorer for the Argentine national team – 117 goals in 199 matches.
Ronaldo has 143 goals in 228 matches.
Автор фото, Getty Images
Підпис до фото, Messi has the World Cup, Ronaldo does not yet.
In the group stage, Argentina plays its first match on June 16 against Algeria in Group J, and Portugal plays on June 17 against DR Congo in Group K.
If both teams win their groups and then advance through two rounds, they will face each other in the quarter-finals on July 11.
There is also an earlier scenario: if both Argentina and Portugal finish second in their groups and then win their Round of 16 matches, they could meet as early as the Round of 16.
Ultimately, if one team wins the group and the other finishes second, the bracket will keep them apart until the very end of the tournament.
In this case, everything will be decided in the final on July 19 – a better stage for the final act of this drama could hardly be imagined.
“It Doesn’t Happen”
“They are special. They are not like everyone else,” says Deco, who played with Ronaldo for the Portuguese national team and with Messi for Barcelona.
“Every year, players capable of incredible things emerge, but for 20 years straight – that’s abnormal. Playing at such a level for so long – it doesn’t happen,” Deco said in the new BBC documentary “Rivals: Messi vs Ronaldo.”
Messi is a virtuoso dribbler and a humble genius.
Ronaldo is a dynamic forward and a confident superstar.
They embody the rivalry of entire sporting styles: Pep Guardiola versus Jose Mourinho, Adidas versus Nike.
Автор фото, AFP
Підпис до фото, The last “Golden Ball” of the previous era was awarded to Brazilian Kaka in 2007. Messi was second then, Ronaldo third. Since then, 20 out of 29 “Golden Balls” have gone to either Messi or Ronaldo.
“For me, Messi is the best footballer in history, and Cristiano is the greatest goalscorer in history,” says Spanish football expert Guillem Balagué, who has written biographies of both players.
Ronaldo himself once commented on the rivalry with Messi:
“You can’t compare a Ferrari and a Porsche. They have different engines. Some say I’m better, some say he is,” said Ronaldo, adding in his characteristic style that it was clear to him that he was the best.
Goal and Trophy Producing Machines
That’s how it all really began.
2008, Champions League semi-final: Manchester United vs. Barcelona. Ronaldo and Messi meet at this level for the first time.
United wins, and Ronaldo receives his first “Golden Ball.”
The rivalry was born, and it still rages on.
Since then, 20 out of 29 “Golden Balls” for the best European footballer have gone to either Messi or Ronaldo.
In 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for a then-record €94 million, and both players found themselves at the heart of one of world football’s most intense club rivalries – Barcelona against Real Madrid.
By the time Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018, both had five “Golden Balls” each. In the nine seasons they played together in Spain, Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches, while Messi scored 471 goals in 476 games.
Автор фото, AFP
By then, the rivalry had become deeply personal, and the rise of social media made the whole world its witness.
The Spanish chapter of Messi and Ronaldo’s personal confrontation has long since concluded.
But the indirect dispute over who is better has not subsided.
Money-Making Machines
After Italy, Ronaldo returned to Manchester United and then moved to his current club, Saudi club Al Nassr.
Messi, meanwhile, transferred to Paris Saint-Germain and then signed with the American club Inter Miami, where he currently plays.
The rivalry continued on a new plane – the financial one.
In 2018, after Ronaldo’s move to Juventus, 520,000 jerseys with his name were sold in the first 24 hours.
In 2021, Messi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain – and in the first seven minutes, the club sold 150,000 of his jerseys.
Ronaldo has surpassed Messi in Instagram followers – he has almost 700 million, while Messi has 500 million.
However, Messi holds the record for likes – 75 million for his photo with the World Cup held high.
Автор фото, AFP
Підпис до фото, Ronaldo is the champion of Saudi Arabia 2026.
Ronaldo became the first-ever billionaire footballer when he moved to Al Nassr.
After the victorious World Cup, Messi received an offer from Saudi Arabia to immediately catch up with his rival and sign a $400 million contract.
Messi declined and went to Miami, where he eventually became a billionaire without Saudi money.
Currently, the two geniuses have only one arena left to settle their differences: the pitches of American stadiums.
The outcome of the main football rivalry of our era will be determined in a month.