The world’s top two players of the last decade face a pivotal point in their careers in the 2018 FIFA World Cup this summer, perhaps the last opportunity for them to win soccer’s biggest prize, elusive to both throughout their brilliant careers.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be ages 30 (31 on June 24) and 33, respectively in Russia with every major trophy an award imaginable on their resume, from domestic leagues, to Champions Leagues, to Club World Cups and every Ballon d’Or since 2008.
But as they enter their fourth World Cup, both Messi and Ronaldo have a glaring hole in their trophy cases reserved especially for the coveted trophy won by the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Franz Beckenbauer, Gianluigi Buffon, Ronaldo and several other all-time greats.
Like the aforementioned Maradona, Messi has been seen as Argentina’s great hope in recent years, capable to replicating El Diego’s heroics in Mexico 1986, the last time Argentina lifted the World Cup.
Germany 2006 served as the stage for the World Cup debuts of both Messi and Ronaldo with Argentina and Portugal, respectively.
The Barcelona star made his World Cup debut at the tender age of 18, becoming the youngest player ever to represent the Albiceleste in a World Cup, even scoring a goal in the 6-0 rout of Serbia and Montenegro. However, the team led by the current Colombia coach Jose Pekerman were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the hosts on penalty kicks.
Ronaldo, 21 at the time, reached the later stages of the tournament, thanks in part to his goal against Iran in the Group Stage, finishing in fourth place after losing narrowly to Zinedine Zidane’s France in the semifinals.
Four years later in South Africa, the spotlight on Messi and Ronaldo became bigger as their careers started to take off.
Ironically enough, Messi was managed by Maradona himself in South Africa, matching the same performance as a team compared to 2006, but leaving empty-handed individually after failing to score all tournament. The end was bitter for Argentina, as a 4-0 loss to the Germans ended their second attempt of the Messi era.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo arrived in South Africa with the mantle of leader and start of a Portuguese side heavily reliant on his individual abilities, a trend that would continue for years. The Real Madrid star only managed one goal all tournament against North Korea before being sent home in the Round of 16 thanks to eventual champions Spain.
Fast forward to 2014 Messi and Ronaldo, both entering their prime, arrived in Brazil expected to shine and carry their country’s hopes on their shoulders, all the way to the trophy.
But the results for them, individually and collectively, could not have been more different. Ronaldo’s Portugal faced a tough Group G with Germany, Portugal and Ghana. With a glaring lack of supporting talent, Ronaldo hit his lowest point representing his country by being failing to advance out of the group, losing out to the United States on goal difference.
On the other hand, Messi had, by far, his best performance at a World Cup and is credited for almost single-handedly carrying Argentina all the way to the final in Rio. He scored four of Argentina’s eight goals in the tournament, including four of six during the Group Stage.
Unfortunately for Messi -and Argentina- Mario Gotze’s extra-time goal ruined what seemed destined to be his crowning moment in said final, as Germany became, once again, the grim reaper of Argentina’s World Cup dreams.
Now they are ready to hit Russia 2018 with reversed realities. Ronaldo leads a Portugal side that won Euro 2016, featuring a very talented and confident crop of players to complement his incredible scoring prowess.
Messi, on the other hand, arrives in Russia with loads of pressure to, once again, lead an Argentina team full of doubts and uncertainties after two Copa America finals lost in penalty kicks and an underwhelming qualifying campaign in South America.
Having won every club and individual honor multiple times over and fully established as the undisputed world’s best, Messi and Ronaldo will chase the one honor that has eluded them for 12 years.
Russia 2018 could very well be their last chance.
