The argument between Lionel and Cristiano holds on as the next year unfolds. Both redefined football, ruling over people's favorite sport across the globe for more than 15 years. Yet in their late 30s, in every match, Messi and Ronaldo together keep on ticking, keeping the upper floor rating, scoring, and assisting whenever they feel like it. With the oncoming 2024/2025 season, most fans/analysts have lingered on whether this historic rivalry will last. Will the footballers still stay at the top of being the best players, or can we expect their prominence to start to wither? This article dissects the careers, achievements, current form, plus what lies ahead to see if the Messi/Ronaldo era can advance.
Career Beginning
Before covering the future, it's worth retracing how Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo started their football career. Both started enormously early. In due course, the legends rose rapidly through the ranks to global superstardom. The legends’ early years were marked by fast development as each displayed exceptional talent. As the players developed, they became the faces of diverse clubs, Barcelona for Messi and Manchester United for Ronaldo. The Leo and Ronaldo background laid the base for the long-time rivalries with incredible careers.
Messi
At barely 13 years old, Lionel Messi joined La Masia, the Barça feeder academy. The star climbed rapidly through every rank available until, at age 17 in 2004, he made an impressive debut. The star was quite different from other young chaps because he had the dribbling capacity, eye vision, along with scoring ability. Very soon, the legend achieved victory in his initial Ballon d'Or at 22 years old and continued reigning. In Barcelona's case, there were many title winnings: 10 La Liga titles together with four Champions League final Messi trophies. 2021 saw the star moving to PSG before eventually joining Inter Miami one year ago.
Ronaldo
CR7’s journey began in Portugal, where he joined Sporting Lisbon’s academy at a young age. His speed/strength, including a powerful shot, made him poke out. At 18 years old, Ronaldo signed with Manchester United, where the superstar developed to become a global superstar. Winning his opening Ballon d'Or in 2008, the legend led Manchester United to three Premier League titles and a Champions League victory. In 2009, the star moved to Real Madrid to become the crew's all-time top scorer. CR7 later played for Juventus before joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Key Achievements
The stars’ careers are famous with numerous individual/team achievements. Messi has claimed a record seven Ballon d'Ors, whilst Ronaldo has five. Both also bagged the UEFA Champions League on several occasions, currently playing Ronaldo across the top-scoring lists. Lionel has won La Liga with Barca ten times and the Champions League four times. Yet, CR7 has been the league champion several times — three times in England, twice in Spain, plus once in Italy. International tournament success for both players is also noteworthy. Leo is a reigning Copa America champion, whereas CR7 won the endmost edition in 2016 for the European championship.
Current Form and Performance
Regarding next year, the duet remains on the pitch despite the ripe years. Messi is now 38, playing for Inter Miami. The player still breeds actions with the creative force. Ronaldo scores apiece for Al-Nassr nearly almost 40. The athlete still regularly visits the net-backs, displaying the same goalscoring instincts with him from the beginning. Both players remain among the fittest footballers, not yet showing any performance decline signs. That ingeniously positions them for importance within the respective teams.
Comparison of Their Statistics
| Player | Goals | Assists | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messi | 838 | 374 | 1069 |
| Ronaldo | 899 | 254 | 1235 |
Messi vs Ronaldo stats are impressive, clearly speaking of performance consistencies. While Ronaldo records stand out on goals in head-to-head match events, Messi gives more points, which underlines the difference in style. Both feature beyond 1000 appearances in competitive matches, signaling sports longevity.
Potential Career Paths: Retirement, Transfers, or Continued Play
The duet deals with some big decisions as they enter the ultimate football career moments. Retirement is possible from the sporting side, but both have already indicated that they’ll only hang shoes once their bodies permit them. The footballers might return to their former clubs (Barcelona and Manchester United) to end their international careers on familiar ground. Alternatively, the players could pursue opportunities in developing soccer markets, whether in the United States or the Middle East. Here, the players can continue playing soccer at a high level and help contribute to the sport's growth.
Messi and Ronaldo Retirement Odds
One popular bet on the duo is the retirement odds. The team of experts has tested top soccer betting sites and explained types of bets, odds, and strategies for you to make the most of your decisions. These soccer betting sites feature different odds regarding when each player plans to retire. In 2024, the odds of Ronaldo retiring are 6/1, with Messi's odds a little higher at 7/1. The main reason the odds on Ronaldo are shorter is that there’s a couple of years difference between the superstars, and thus, most online betting sportsbooks anticipate that it’ll be Ronaldo who retires first. At 38, Leo is far closer to retirement. Inversely, CR7, age 39, portrays a perfect physical shape to play another year or even two more if he wants to. However, the exact timing for retirement is not known. The period further depends on many factors, e.g., performance or personal decisions.
Likely Performance and Contributions in the 2024/2025 Season
Messi and Ronaldo still hold ground for this year's season. Playing for Inter Miami, Messi is another playmaker, providing assists and scoring remarkable goals. His pitch experience is helpful in various matches. Also, Ronaldo is the critical talisman once more for his side, Al-Nassr, with his goal-scoring capabilities regarding strength/positioning to find the back of nets. Generally, through the last dance Messi vs Ronaldo are expected to play critical roles, even during this stage.
FAQs
How many goals has Messi scored in 2024?
Leo has 14 goals in this year’s Copa America season, proving to the world that he still has the same quality.
Will Ronaldo play the WC in 2026?
This is unknown, but Ronaldo has yet to entirely come out to rule out his presence if his physical condition allows.
Is Messi richer than Ronaldo?
Both stars are multi-millionaires. However, Ronaldo net worth is slightly heavier, thanks to several endorsement deals/investments.
Is Ronaldo faster than Messi?
Ronaldo is speedy. Conversely, Messi is born naturally agile and quick, making him faster differently than Ronaldo. Generally, both players are excellent but unique.
Will Messi and Ronaldo Ever Play Together?
It has been a speculation topic by fans. However, it is highly unlikely that Messi and Ronaldo will play together. This is true considering the players’ career paths plus the likely retirement date soon.