PARIS: Lionel Messi’s career seemed complete after leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup, but the motivation to keep playing is still there for him and his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the duo prepare to make history at this year’s tournament in North America.
This will be the last dance for Messi and Ronaldo, who will become the first players to appear in six different World Cups, two decades after their fresh-faced debuts in the final.
Since then, they have become icons far beyond the football field, two of the most recognizable people on the planet as they approach middle age and contemplate retirement.
Messi seemed to suggest there would be little point in continuing after leading Argentina to victory in Qatar.
“Obviously I wanted to end my career with this. I couldn’t ask for more,” he said after leading Lionel Scaloni’s team to victory over France on penalties in that World Cup final in Doha.
“My career is coming to an end because these are my last years. What else could there be after this?”
It turns out there is much more.
Messi was then in the midst of a disappointing spell at Paris Saint-Germain, and six months later he left for Major League Soccer.
There he stands out with Inter Miami, with whom he won the MLS Cup last year.
He may no longer play at the highest level every week, but he is still crucial for Argentina.
The Barcelona legend captained his country to victory in the United States’ Copa América in 2024 and was the top scorer in South American World Cup qualifying.
“I love playing football and I will do it until I can’t anymore,” he said recently.
At one point there were some doubts about whether he would play in another World Cup, a tournament he played for the first time in 2006, when at the age of 18 he scored in the 6-0 thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen.
200 caps, record of goals in sight
“I will do everything possible to ensure that he is there,” Scaloni insisted, when Messi is now just two games away from reaching 200 caps.
He is set to add to his record of 26 appearances in World Cup matches, including his run to the 2014 final in Brazil.
Messi has 13 World Cup goals, meaning Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 is within striking distance, especially as Argentina’s opponents in the group don’t appear to be the toughest.
They will start against Algeria and Austria before facing Jordan in Dallas, three days after Messi’s 39th birthday.
He is a couple of years older than Ronaldo, but the 41-year-old Portuguese talisman was determined to continue his international career in the hope of landing the top prize.
Ronaldo was a teenager when he lost the Euro 2004 final against Portugal at home, but he made up for it by captaining them to victory at Euro 2016.
However, the World Cup has proven to be more difficult, at least after Portugal reached the 2006 semi-finals.
Portugal has only won one World Cup knockout match since then, when it thrashed Switzerland 6-1 in 2022 with Ronaldo on the bench.
‘Exemplary commitment’
Roberto Martínez became coach after that and restored Ronaldo as the starting striker, a position he maintains despite failing to score at Euro 2024, when Portugal lost in the round of 16.
He is the most capped men’s player of all time with 226 international appearances, and the former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar is now set to win the Saudi title with Al Nassr.
Ronaldo recently confirmed that this would be his last World Cup, insisting: “I’m going to be 41 and I think it will be time.”
Portugal, who are in a group with Colombia, Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are a real contender to win it, even if there are doubts over whether Ronaldo is holding back a talented team.
Personally, Ronaldo will be looking to add another eight goals in the World Cup and finally get his first in the round of 16.
“He is more than just a football player, but for the national team that is all he is,” Martínez said in an interview with the Portuguese broadcaster. RTP.
“He is the captain and shows an exemplary commitment to his country. It is incredible.”
Lifting the World Cup at age 41 would be a good way to end for Ronaldo, and if both Portugal and Argentina top their groups, he and Messi would be on track to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City on July 11.
