Retirement. It’s a scary word for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fans to hear, especially now that the two footballing icons have entered the final chapters of their careers. But what do we actually know about their retirement plans? After all, as of right now, neither player has officially set a retirement date for themselves. However, both Messi and Ronaldo have recently dropped hints about when they might decide to hang up their boots, so let’s take a look at what’s most likely to happen.
When Will Messi and Ronaldo Retire? A Look at the 2026 World Cup
It’s believed that Messi and Ronaldo will both retire after the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place across the US, Canada, and Mexico. By the time the tournament comes around, Messi will be 39 and Ronaldo will be 41, with Ronaldo guaranteed to be one of the oldest outfield players to ever feature at a World Cup. It would be the most fitting end for both players, providing them with the opportunity to bow out on the biggest stage while (potentially) facing off against each other for the final time if Argentina and Portugal were to cross paths. And even though they’d most likely be utlilized in smaller roles for their countries, Messi and Ronaldo featuring together in one final tournament is something that every football fan on the planet wants to see.
Regarding the 2026 World Cup, Messi has gone on record to say he’ll be there if he’s “able to compete and help my team-mates”. Similarly, Ronaldo has expressed interest in continuing his international career following a disappointing Euro 2024 with Portugal, stating that “I think I will be available for Portugal in the 2026 World Cup”. Based on this, there’s an extremely strong chance that Messi and Ronaldo will be named in the official squad lists for their countries in two years time. Also, don’t be surprised if both players announce in the build-up to the World Cup that they’ll be officially retiring at the tournament, which would make it a highly emotional affair for fans to witness.
Messi’s Road to Retirement
Lionel Messi’s road to retirement is set to be an interesting one. Currently contracted to play for Inter Miami until the end of the 2025 MLS season, it’s speculated that Messi will not retire from club football when his Inter Miami contract runs out. Instead, a heroic return to his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys could potentially happen, with Messi having previously played for Newell’s youth team from six to twelve years old. A likely retirement plan would see Messi sign a short-term deal with Newell’s Old Boys, play one season, and wrap things up at the 2026 World Cup before officially hanging up his boots.
However, the eight-time Ballon d-Or winner recently addressed rumors of his future by saying that “Inter Miami will be the last club in my career”. When Messi was at Barcelona, though, he said multiple times that he planned to retire there, but it never came to fruition. The point is that players change their opinions and plans on a season-by-season basis, so the odds of Messi heading back to Argentina to wrap up his club career with hometown club Newell’s Old Boys are still pretty high.
Ronaldo’s Road to Retirement
Just like his long-time rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s road to retirement is also going to be exciting. At this moment in time, CR7 is currently playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, having officially joined the club back in 2022. And with his contract set to expire in June 2025, Ronaldo will either need to extend his existing Al-Nassr deal for 1 extra season or join a new club if he still wishes to play at the 2026 World Cup with Portugal.
As has long been speculated, a return to Sporting Lisbon is most likely for Ronaldo, who he could sign a short-term deal with after leaving Al-Nassr. This would then provide Ronaldo with an opportunity to finish his club career in Europe before playing at the 2026 World Cup, where he would likely feature in a reduced playing role for Portugal by making cameo appearances off the bench whenever they need him. However, everyone knows that Ronaldo’s passion for football is endless, with many critics and fans believing that he’ll find it almost impossible to retire from the game he’s given everything to. This is why there’s still a strong possibility that Ronaldo will continue playing after the 2026 World Cup, especially if he’s still in good physical condition and can maintain his goal-scoring prowess into his early 40s. It’s also important to remember that Ronaldo is desperate to reach 1,000 career goals, which would require him to keep playing for at least another 3 to 4 seasons if he wants to reach this target.
Messi and Ronaldo Retirement Odds: What are the Sportsbooks Saying?
The retirement rumors surrounding Messi and Ronaldo have been hotting up ever since the start of the 2020s. This has led to many sportsbooks offering special retirement odds, allowing fans everywhere to bet on when they think Messi and Ronaldo will officially retire. For 2024, the odds of a Ronaldo retirement are 6/1 while the odds for a Messi retirement are 7/1. The reason for Ronaldo having the lowest odds is because of the two-year age gap, so most sportsbooks expect him to be the first to retire.
Because it’s expected that both Messi and Ronaldo will both continue playing for at least another two years until the 2026 World Cup, the majority of fans have yet to place retirement bets on them. Instead, they’re continuing to watch Inter Miami and Al-Nassr games so that they can place ‘Same Game Parlay’ (SBP) bets, which is when you bet on multiple outcomes to happen in the same game (e.g. Ronaldo to score and assist for Al-Nassr). You can even get SGP on Sharperz.com to help you build your bets, whether you’re looking to place ‘Same Game Parlays’ on Messi or Ronaldo games.
Will Messi and Ronaldo Ever Play Together?
For years, fans have been desperate to see Messi and Ronaldo play together (and you’re probably one of these fans, too). Despite facing off against each other 36 times, the two footballing icons have never played together on the same team, not even in a charity game. And sadly, it seems like this dream partnership will never become a reality now that both players are close to retirement. The closest it ever came to happening was back in 2022 when PSG were reportedly close to signing Ronaldo after he exited from Manchester United, although PSG ultimately decided to not put an official contract offer on the table. This deal would have seen Ronaldo and Messi finally play together, although it would only have been for a short period of time due to the fact that Messi left PSG for Inter Miami in the summer of 2023.
Conclusion: Retirement, Legacy, and Lasting Impact of Messi and Ronaldo
The clock is ticking for Messi and Ronaldo when it comes to retirement. However, the good news is that neither of them are retiring just yet. In fact, as many believe, it’s highly likely that you’ll see the Argentinian and Portuguese stars feature in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which would be the perfect retirement tournament for them. Of course, there’s still a small chance that either of the two men could retire before 2026, but this isn’t likely. After all, Ronaldo’s desire to keep playing is stronger than ever and Messi has just won the Copa America with Argentina, so the fire is still burning for both players. And whatever happens, no other footballers in history will leave a lasting impact like Messi and Ronaldo, who (along the way) have won a combined 80 trophies and 13 Balon d’Ors, broken the 1000 appearances barrier, and scored over 800 goals each for club and country. So, whether you’re #TeamMessi or #TeamRonaldo, it’s important to appreciate both players while they’re still here until they eventually decide to announce their retirements, which will likely be at the 2026 World Cup.