The 2022 FIFA World Cup is rapidly approaching its climax as the quarterfinals loom. Everyone’s eyes are on two of the greatest footballers in history, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as they attempt to lead their teams to ultimate glory.
This World Cup is crucial for both players since it is speculated that it is the last one in which they will participate due to their age. In 2026, Messi will be 39 and Ronaldo 41, so it is improbable that they will still be active on international duty.
Lionel Messi
Messi has yet to shine as expected in this world cup; however, he continues to have impressive numbers.
Games played: 4
Game minutes: 360
Goals scored: 3
Shots on goal: 19
Assists: 1
He is the scoring leader of his team, but Rodrigo de Paul is the one who has stolen all the spotlights.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo is not the unstoppable force he was in previous years, and more than leading Portugal, he has been a supporting actor. Perhaps the situation with Manchester United has affected him more than you think. Let’s remember that the player abruptly broke relations with the club where he did not have much action during the season.
Games played: 4 (1 off the bench)
Game minutes: 252
Goals scored: 1
Shots on goal: 9
Assists: 0
Ronaldo still needs to show his abilities as one of the best players in the world. Although he set a historical record with the only goal he has scored, being the only player to have scored in five consecutive World Cups, he has not lived up to the expectations.
A possible confrontation between both players
The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has become legendary in the world of football. Whenever Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other, it has always been one of the most attractive duels in football. During their time with Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, they have gone head to head in some truly remarkable moments.
In total, both players have met in 35 games. Messi and Barca won 16 games, and the Argentine has scored 22 goals, one every 139.7 minutes, and 12 assists.
For his part, Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid won 10 whereas CR7 scored 19 goals, one every 155 minutes, for a single assist.
The other 9 games ended in a tie.
But these players have never seen each other in a World Cup, and for many fans, it would be epic if the last dance of these two soccer stars was on such an important stage.
Argentina and Portugal have qualified for the quarterfinals after beating Australia and Switzerland, and now the Netherlands and Morocco await them, respectively.
The only way Messi and Ronaldo will meet in this world cup is for both teams to reach the grand final. But it’s still too early to tell if this is possible, as the competition is getting fiercer.
The Final Test
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have earned the title of “The Greatest” due to their incredible career accolades. The two soccer stars are practically neck-in-neck regarding awards, records, and titles.
Spanning from Spanish Leagues, Champions League, and Ballons d’Or in both individual and team categories—they’ve achieved practically everything in the world of soccer except one: a World Cup title.
Messi has played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments with Argentina’s national team, while Ronaldo has appeared in five for Portugal.
Although they have managed to take their respective countries deep into the tournament each time, they have been unable to secure that final victory that all players strive for throughout their careers—the World Cup trophy.
It is the last chance for both of them to get the highest soccer award, so we will see two athletes giving it their all on the field.
World Cup Betting
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