home equity line of credit loans

What Happened: Two legends of world soccer are still lacing up their boots at the 2026 World Cup. Only one of them remains a potent threat.

Why You Care: On Tuesday, Lionel Messi of Argentina became the first player to make an appearance in six men’s World Cups. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal followed suit on Wednesday. But these two giants of the global game are not firing at similar capacities anymore.

Messi’s Argentina opened up its World Cup against Algeria, and Messi found the back of the net three times in a 3-0 win. Ronaldo himself took three shots in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo, but none of them were on target. That marked five consecutive World Cup games in which Ronaldo, whose responsibilities on the field do not extend beyond “go score,” could not register a goal. CR7 has gone 10 matches in major competitions without a goal, and this is not a case of load management — Ronaldo essentially demands to play every minute for Portugal, so he’s gotten plenty of changes to make an impact.

Throughout their primes, the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate raged. But with both players in the twilight of their careers, it’s become no contest. Portugal’s shaky start does not point to a squad that’s likely to compete for the championship, while Argentina won soccer’s ultimate prize four years ago and look like a contender again so far. Messi’s hat trick placed him in a tie atop the list of the World Cup’s most prolific goal scorers, a list that doesn’t include Ronaldo in its top 25.

It’s the same story for both players’ club soccer careers. In 2022, Ronaldo agreed to join Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League, a project powered by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The salaries are jaw-dropping, while the soccer is subpar. Ronaldo is getting paid handsomely to toil in a lower league that’s not pushing him to stay sharp. Messi has starred for MLS’ Inter Miami since 2023, and while MLS is not the top of the sport he’s used to, it’s a much stronger league than what’s being offered by the Saudis. Messi is helping to grow a league that’s talent pool is strengthening season after season, and he looks like a sharper player as a result.

Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez has claimed no worries about Ronaldo so far. The fact that questions are even popping up, while the only inquiries about Messi deal with his country’s chances at winning this grand tournament again, tells us all we need to know about how these two superstars are finishing up their careers.