It’s time to call the last orders on the Messi and Ronaldo debate as both players head into the latter stages of their thirties. However, Euro 2024 and Copa America provide another point of discussion for those who still like to pit the two greatest players of their generation against each other. This summer, though, there’s a strong chance it could be the final encore and a glittering end for us football fans to witness the true end of an era.
Two Decades Of Lionel vs Cristiano
It’s hard to believe that both players have been in the game for over 20 years, a fresh-faced, long-haired Lionel emerging as part of Pep’s Harlem Globetrotters of football and Ronaldo rising under the wing of Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho.
Given that Cristiano turns 40 next year, many fans believed this would be the last time we saw him at a major international tournament. As Messi had just crowned off the greatest, final piece of his career, many thought that would be the last we’d see of him in an Argentina kit, too.
However, this summer sees them both leading the line for their countries in their respective international and continental tournaments—the Copa America for Messi and the Euros for Cristiano. It appears as though we still get to see the two icons competing at the highest level, and wouldn’t it be incredible to see them both lift their national side to glory yet again?
Breaking Down Their Rivalry
Cristiano and Lionel have been competing head-to-head on every possible measuring stick - they boast similar numbers of Instagram followers, wealth, and personal endorsements. Even in the world of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin, both players have granted the use of their marketing image to rival cryptocurrency companies - and while they remain amicable off the pitch, more so than many of their fans do on social media anyway, there’s still competition that extends beyond the game.
The two football megastars also inevitably are involved in a lot of the gambling markets and activity for sports betting fans. The overlap of cryptocurrency and sports betting is continuing to play a big role in the growing digital gambling markets. It marries together a number of industries that the two football icons have vested interests in. These two giants have existed throughout some big changes, such as crypto becoming more important in the football world – Betting with Bitcoin is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to place their football bets and wagers on other sports gambling markets.
Euros and Copa America
As the current World Cup champions, it’s no surprise that Argentina is the favorite to win this year’s Copa America. Their exhilarating game against France in the 2022 final is widely considered the greatest World Cup final of all time, and what a fitting fairytale ending for what will surely be Lionel Messi’s last World Cup.
Messi and Ronaldo continue to defy the limitations that seem to impact so many other top-level players, and the Argentinian captain has not ruled out the possibility of playing in the 2026 World Cup.
Likewise, Ronaldo is showing no signs of slowing down. With a number of potential records to be broken at Euro 2024, it should come as no surprise that a serial winner like Ronaldo wants to play on into his forties. Whether he will continue to have the impact he has had over the last two decades is another question entirely.
Argentina is better placed to win the Copa America than Portugal is to win the Euros, but with the pair boasting some of the most impressive stats of any player that’s featured in either competition, do not be surprised to see each player firing their country into the latter stages of their respective competitions this summer.
Is It The Last Dance? Our Final Say
The real question for both men is whether they will remain in contention for their national side. If either of them shows signs of finally slowing down, you’d suspect that they might be overlooked for national selection at the next World Cup. Injuries in the twilight of a career can often blight and accelerate retirement.
You’d think that Messi would’ve strongly contemplated retirement after winning the World Cup - there’s literally nothing else left for him to conquer in the game. Ronaldo, on the other hand, does have unfinished business. While it’s unlikely that Portugal could be serious contenders for the next World Cup - if Euro 2024 proves to be his final curtain call and he goes out on a high, we imagine this would be a suitable ending to what has been a truly remarkable career.
Although they have both not ruled out the 2026 World Cup, there’s a long way to go before then, especially in football terms. While they might both feature, it’s unlikely either of them would be triumphant, so there’s also that to consider. It’s rare for players to go out at the very peak of their game. Still, a win in the Copa America for Messi and the Euros for Ronaldo could reignite this conversation for each of them as they enter the latter stages of their footballing careers.