The 2026 FIFA World Cup will likely go down in history as the last dance of two football greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, the 2026 edition will be the first tournament held in North America since 1994.
For Ronaldo and Messi, it will be a final chance to cement their legacies on football’s grandest stage.
Both players, having dominated the sport for over two decades, will be seeking to add the ultimate prize to their glittering careers.
While Ronaldo hopes to bring Portugal their first World Cup title, Messi will aim to defend Argentina’s crown after their 2022 triumph.
As the tournament unfolds across North America, fans will witness the twilight of two of football’s greatest icons.
What’s in it for Messi?
As poetically described by Peter Drury, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner ‘shook hands with paradise’ when he inspired Argentina to their first World Cup title since 1986.
‘The little boy from Rosario’ crowned his stellar career with a scintillating tournament, netting seven goals en route to matching Diego Maradona’s ‘Godlike’ status in his homeland.
Messi won the title in his fifth World Cup appearance, making him one of only a handful of players to feature in five editions of the most prestigious international competition.
As a result of his longevity, La Pulga could become the first player to appear at six different World Cups, according to beIN SPORTS.
He’ll be 39 when the 2026 instalment rolls around, and if he manages to participate, it will undoubtedly be a historic milestone.
However, there’s a more prestigious landmark Messi has set his sights on.
The Inter Miami superstar’s seven-goal haul in Qatar took his overall World Cup tally to 13 goals, making him the fourth-best goalscorer in the competition’s history.
Messi needs three goals to equal the outright record of 16 set by legendary German striker Miroslav Klose.
Two more players are currently standing between Messi and Klose.
Another iconic Germany international Gerd Müller (14) and Brazilian Ronaldo (15)boast a better scoring record at the World Cups than the ex-Barcelona captain.
What’s in it for Ronaldo?
While Messi led Argentina to the top of the world in Qatar, Ronaldo’s Portugal had to settle for another gut-wrenching quarter-final exit at the hands of surprise package Morocco.
Ronaldo wasn’t at his best throughout the tournament and will look to rewind the clock two years from now and finally ascend the World Cup throne.
Though he’ll be 41, the all-time UEFA Champions League top goalscorer will unquestionably captain the Selecao side in North America in an unprecedented sixth World Cup appearance.
Despite plying his trade at Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has shown no signs of losing his enthusiasm for the game and never-ending ambition to win.
A known workaholic, Ronaldo’s extraordinary talent and determination to compete at the highest level have defied age, as witnessed by yet another incredible feat he achieved during his illustrious career.
Ronaldo has outscored all-time leading goalscorers for Italy, Germany, England, Spain, Brazil and France since turning 30, demonstrating his unparalleled scoring instincts.
This statistic not only highlights his prolific scoring ability but also underscores his status as arguably the most complete goal-getter in football history.
However, there’s one significant difference between him and his arch-nemesis, Messi.
The latter has the World Cup trophy under his belt. It will serve as the ultimate motivation for Ronaldo to inspire Portugal to their maiden success in this tournament.
He is keen to ride into the sunset, and what better way than to get on par with his old foe in what will likely be their final act as professional football players?
