Ronaldo and Messi kick off their World Cups with one last match potentially on the line

Key Points:

• Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of soccer’s most iconic players, are likely making their final World Cup appearances as Argentina faces Algeria and Portugal plays Congo in the group stage.
• Messi and Ronaldo dominated the Ballon d’Or awards from 2008 to 2017, with Messi winning eight times and Ronaldo five, and they had a fierce rivalry both internationally and at club level, particularly between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
• In 37 head-to-head matches, both players scored 23 goals each, but Messi holds a better win record against Ronaldo, 17-11-9, and has achieved more success recently, including leading Argentina to a 2022 World Cup victory.
• Their rivalry has cooled in recent years due to fewer encounters after Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018 and both players moving outside Europe in 2023, with Messi now at Inter Miami and Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
• Ronaldo is seeking his first World Cup title in what he has declared will be his final tournament, though he has stated that the outcome will not define his legacy as a player.