Today’s generation of football fans is blessed to watch arguably two of the greatest players of all time. We are talking, of course, about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. These two have been stunning the football audiences ever since they were teenagers, and they still do.
It’s hard to say which one of them is better, as both sides have strong arguments. But one thing is certain: Messi and Ronaldo are the two best footballers of our time, and maybe even in the entire history of the sport. This interesting infographic by Betting Sites compares the careers of these two legends, and it’s definitely worth checking out.
Unfortunately, all things must come to an end at some point, and Father Time is especially ruthless when it comes to athletes. Both Messi and Ronaldo are in their mid-thirties right now, which is a time when footballers usually start thinking about retirement. While both are still performing at a high level, they might have to be thinking about quitting soon.
Messi is still a member of FC Barcelona and has signed a new contract that extends his loyalty to the club until the end of the season 2020/2021. However, it’s still unknown whether he will play for Argentina in the following international competitions.
After several finals losses and inability to win either FIFA World Cup or Copa America with his national squad, Messi was very vocal about his disappointment with playing for Argentina, and it’s questionable whether we will ever see him in the blue and white jersey again.
Messi will be 35 at the time of the next World Cup in Qatar 2020, and his experience and talent could bring Argentina what they’ve been looking for since their 1986 title. But, we will have to wait and see if that’s even going to happen.
Cristiano Ronaldo is two years older than his Argentinian rival, but he keeps his body in excellent shape and his game has barely deteriorated, so he is still considered one of the best players in the world.
How long he will be able keep up like this is what everyone would like to know. Ronaldo’s latest contract with Juventus has been signed for four years, so we, at least, know that he will play until 2022. He did mention that his wish is to play again for his childhood club, Sporting in Portugal, and it is possible that he will maybe play one final year there after his tenure with Juventus is over.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have won domestic titles with their clubs, including national championships and cups. Both have also won multiple Champions League trophies and have each been awarded Ballon d’Or five times.
Ronaldo also won Euro 2016 with Portugal, and only the World Cup trophy is what’s missing from his collection. Messi is missing titles with his national team and he might stick around a while longer until he reaches that milestone.
The fact that the Argentinian is two years younger, we might see him play for a few more seasons after Ronaldo decides to retire.
In any case, both players will definitely continue to play for at least three more years, and we can still enjoy their masterclasses while they last.