The rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has eased since Messi won the World Cup, the only title that had long eluded him. That moment came when he led Argentina to victory in Qatar in 2022.
Messi has achieved what he has always desired, while Ronaldo is still waiting for the opportunity to achieve the same dream.
Therefore, one of the things that will be the center of attention in the 2026 World Cup will be the progress of the 41-year-old Portuguese striker.
He will always be the focus when Portugal plays, including in the first match of Group I which brings them together with the Democratic Republic of Congo at Houston Stadium, Houston, United States.
Ronaldo will embark on his final journey to equal Messi's achievements and at the same time perfect his achievements at the individual and team level, which he has achieved over the last 20 years.
Messi is no longer chasing Ronaldo's goals. He's now focused on leading Argentina to equal Brazil and Italy as the first team to successfully defend their World Cup title, becoming the second Argentine, after Daniel Passarella, to lift the World Cup twice, and the tournament's top scorer.
At three years older than Messi, Ronaldo is already considered old for a professional footballer. However, as the 2026 World Cup approaches, he remains a magnet for attention. In fact, he is poised to become the second-oldest player ever to appear in a World Cup finals, after Roger Milla. The spotlight on Ronaldo is even greater because the 2026 World Cup is expected to be his sixth and final appearance.
Ronaldo is behind Miroslav Klose and Messi as the footballer who has scored the most goals in the World Cup.
Klose has scored 16 goals in four World Cups, while Messi has achieved the same feat in six World Cups, scoring a hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 in their 2026 World Cup Group J match.
Ronaldo himself has only scored 15 goals in five World Cups.
Thus, Ronaldo's mission suddenly increased, by returning to battle with Messi to become the top scorer in the World Cup.
