World Cup 2026

[Milltown Row2]

Saw Messi's hat trick on socials this morning, thought it was highlights from a game 7 or 8 years ago, the man is peerless

Seen a few highlights there, man still has it.

Woeful goalkeeping on the first two though!

Aye, the goalkeeper was shocking, but watch Messi's movement off the ball. Classic Messi. Some going to be playing in your 6th WC. There will no doubt be comparisons to a certain Ronaldo later today, but for me, there is only one GOAT (regardless of the game last night).

Good luck to anyone waiting on a pass from Ronaldo tonight!

Greedy strikers.. they are certainly a rare breed.. 

[93-DY-SAM]

Saw Messi's hat trick on socials this morning, thought it was highlights from a game 7 or 8 years ago, the man is peerless

Seen a few highlights there, man still has it.

Woeful goalkeeping on the first two though!

Aye, the goalkeeper was shocking, but watch Messi's movement off the ball. Classic Messi. Some going to be playing in your 6th WC. There will no doubt be comparisons to a certain Ronaldo later today, but for me, there is only one GOAT (regardless of the game last night).

Ronaldo be desperate to get on the scoresheet tonight to match him! Messi still a class act, Ronaldo was unstoppable in his day but he's not at that level now.

Ronaldo was always the better athlete, but Messi is just a more naturally gifted footballer. Less theatrics with Messi as well - a far more rounded team player who doesn't seek to make every game about him with theatrics.

[Milltown Row2]

Saw Messi's hat trick on socials this morning, thought it was highlights from a game 7 or 8 years ago, the man is peerless

Seen a few highlights there, man still has it.

Woeful goalkeeping on the first two though!

Aye, the goalkeeper was shocking, but watch Messi's movement off the ball. Classic Messi. Some going to be playing in your 6th WC. There will no doubt be comparisons to a certain Ronaldo later today, but for me, there is only one GOAT (regardless of the game last night).

Ronaldo be desperate to get on the scoresheet tonight to match him! Messi still a class act, Ronaldo was unstoppable in his day but he's not at that level now.

Ronaldo was always the better athlete, but Messi is just a more naturally gifted footballer. Less theatrics with Messi as well - a far more rounded team player who doesn't seek to make every game about him with theatrics.

Brilliant natural skill, amazing he is still doing it on the big stages too at international level.

Though definitely seen a side to him last world cup when they played Poland with him ignoring Lewandowski after the game.. Lose with grace win with grace

[weareros]

Will Modric at 40 play against England. Fair play to these lads still representing their nations and not packing it in early 30s to preserve club career.

[nrico2006]

Saw Messi's hat trick on socials this morning, thought it was highlights from a game 7 or 8 years ago, the man is peerless

Seen a few highlights there, man still has it.

Woeful goalkeeping on the first two though!

Aye, the goalkeeper was shocking, but watch Messi's movement off the ball. Classic Messi. Some going to be playing in your 6th WC. There will no doubt be comparisons to a certain Ronaldo later today, but for me, there is only one GOAT (regardless of the game last night).

Ronaldo be desperate to get on the scoresheet tonight to match him! Messi still a class act, Ronaldo was unstoppable in his day but he's not at that level now.

Ronaldo was always the better athlete, but Messi is just a more naturally gifted footballer. Less theatrics with Messi as well - a far more rounded team player who doesn't seek to make every game about him with theatrics.

Brilliant natural skill, amazing he is still doing it on the big stages too at international level.

Though definitely seen a side to him last world cup when they played Poland with him ignoring Lewandowski after the game.. Lose with grace win with grace

That was during the game after Lewandowski fouled him, in the heat of battle. Was good to see instead of all this hugging and cuddling players tend to do nowadays.

[Main Street]

This is last hurray for both and here  the gap in quality has been increasing incrementally these past 4 years. Messi still has most everything he had whereas Ronaldo is partly running (at cart horse pace) on muscle memory. Maybe age kicks in with a Richter scale effect with Ronaldo being the elder, he has no legs left, his overall play reminds me of a punch drunk Ali after the Thriller in Manila. Possibly Ronaldo would have value as a late sub to save a game, definitely would have a massive distraction effect on a beleaguered defense.  But has Martinez the bottle to relegate Ronaldo the icon?

[imtommygunn]

Same in any sport. The ones with the better brains last longer - athleticism wanes quicker.

[Milltown Row2]

If Martinez HAS the bottle to do it he would have done it already and sent that text message before the panel was picked..

Ronaldo has come to the end, and this team Portugal have are very good, he could possibly stop/hinder this team from winning.

 But I get that stars such as him should get there chance, but I'm talking about the likes of Liam Brady, or Best not getting their chance to have at least one tournament, who got the call to say they aint in the plans for the tournament. Ronnie has had multiple tournaments so he should head off and chill out, eat a nasty burger, miss a gym session or two

[gallsman]

But has Martinez the bottle to relegate Ronaldo the icon?

Of course he doesn't. Martinez is the one who brought him back in the first place. When he was benched for Ramos (correctly) in Qatar that should have been the end of him as an international footballer.

Whether Ronaldo is or was a better "athlete" than Messi is, frankly, meaningless. Messi has been the better footballer, which is what matters, from about 2006, and without doubt from the 08/09 season on. I'm not sure there's anyone who even pretends to dispute this any more.

[AustinPowers]

I think it's more about Instagram and  publicity with Ronaldo  these days. Crying after missing  a penalty during a match  springs to mind. He has a career post football to  think about though so anything to keep himself  in the public eye

I don't see Martinez  dropping him though. Which is why I don't see Portugal winning it. They'd go further without  him starting

[statto]

But has Martinez the bottle to relegate Ronaldo the icon?

Of course he doesn't. Martinez is the one who brought him back in the first place. When he was benched for Ramos (correctly) in Qatar that should have been the end of him as an international footballer.

Whether Ronaldo is or was a better "athlete" than Messi is, frankly, meaningless. Messi has been the better footballer, which is what matters, from about 2006, and without doubt from the 08/09 season on. I'm not sure there's anyone who even pretends to dispute this any more.

Absolutely correct. 

[SaffronSports]

Argentina looked set up to get the most out of Messi and he could have scored more last night.

This is Messi's 3rd major tournament on US soil (2 Copa America's) and obviously he has been playing there 3 years too so he will be well used to it.

Re Ronaldo, i dont think ive watched him since last euros so no idea if he still has the ability or not.

[gawa316]

There'll defo be one penalty for Ronaldo today. Nearly a 5th of his goals have been pens

[Main Street]

But has Martinez the bottle to relegate Ronaldo the icon?

Of course he doesn't. Martinez is the one who brought him back in the first place. When he was benched for Ramos (correctly) in Qatar that should have been the end of him as an international footballer.

Whether Ronaldo is or was a better "athlete" than Messi is, frankly, meaningless. Messi has been the better footballer, which is what matters, from about 2006, and without doubt from the 08/09 season on. I'm not sure there's anyone who even pretends to dispute this any more.

I was talking about Ronaldo's present day value to the team vis a vis Messi's value to Argentina,  not about comparing footballing qualities or merits of each and not least indulging in a meaningless binary debate about who is/ was the better player.  And Ronaldo without that athleticism is quite frankly a player who would never ever score 300+ goals for RM, but nevertheless he still retained the knack of scoring (vital) goals on the intl stage in WC qualifiers and Nations League 2023 /24/25. From watching him on occasion this season 2025/2026 he has declined even more so to the level of caricature.

[Milltown Row2]

There'll defo be one penalty for Ronaldo today. Nearly a 5th of his goals have been pens

Messi's would be no where near that figure

797 goals, non penalties to Ronaldo's 715 crazy stats

Penalties are 183 for Ron and 114 for Messi on top of those figures