After more than 20 years of dominance in world soccer, the fates of Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal diverged sharply on the international stage of the FIFA World Cup.
On July 8, Argentina staged a remarkable comeback in the Round of 16 match against Egypt in Atlanta, overcoming a two-goal deficit to win 3-2. The victory propels Argentina into the quarterfinals, continuing their quest for a second consecutive World Cup title and a fourth overall.
Messi was at the heart of the thrilling turnaround. With Argentina trailing 2-0 in the 79th minute, he delivered a precise cross that set up Cristian Romero's goal, igniting hope for his team. Just four minutes later, Messi equalized with a stunning strike from inside the penalty area, bringing the score to 2-2.
With one goal and one assist, Messi made history once again, scoring his eighth goal of the tournament and taking the lead in the scoring race, surpassing Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway. He also broke his own records for total World Cup goals (21), total points (30), consecutive matches with goals (9), and matches with goals (16).
Additionally, according to Opta, Messi now holds the record for the most assists in World Cup history since 1966, with 9, surpassing the late Diego Maradona's 8.
In a post-match press conference, Messi stated, "Our team always competes to the best of our ability. We never give up or back down. Today, we demonstrated our determination, pride, love, and spirit of perseverance. I am very happy and proud that our team shows this every day."
Overcome with emotion after the victory, Messi shed tears, saying, "I wanted to stay in the tournament. I didn't want today to be the end or to go home. Those tears were of relief. Being down 2-0 was truly awful."
In contrast, Ronaldo's World Cup journey ended bitterly. Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in their Round of 16 match the previous day at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Ronaldo, who started the match, played the full 90 minutes but failed to contribute any points, resulting in Portugal's elimination.
Following the match, Ronaldo faced harsh criticism. BBC commentator Chris Sutton remarked, "He wandered around the pitch like a grandfather. That was the reason for Portugal's exit." According to the BBC, Ronaldo's defeat against Spain marked his eighth loss in World Cup matches, tying him with Son Heung-min, Hong Myung-bo, Matthew Leckie, and Antonio Carvajal for the most losses in World Cup history.
As the final whistle blew, Ronaldo could not hide his tear-filled eyes. In the post-match press conference, he expressed, "I am sad to leave the World Cup in this manner. I gave everything, and I leave with a sense of relief. That is the life of a footballer. We must move forward."
Ronaldo referred to the match against Spain as his "last World Cup" but added, "I still have plenty of time to think about other matters. I will spend time with my family and not rush into any decisions" regarding his retirement from the national team.
The contrasting paths of these two players evoke memories of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In that tournament, Messi showcased his exceptional skills with 7 goals and 3 assists, leading Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years and earning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo faced challenges during the tournament, being sidelined from the starting lineup in the Round of 16 against Switzerland and the quarterfinals against Morocco. Portugal was eliminated in the quarterfinals without Ronaldo making a significant impact.
Comparing the World Cup performances of Argentina and Portugal highlights the stark differences in their legacies. Under Messi's leadership, Argentina finished as runners-up in the 2014 Brazil World Cup and claimed victory in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, amassing numerous goals and points that have rewritten soccer history.
Portugal, despite being led by the world-class striker Ronaldo, has consistently been considered a contender in major tournaments but has never found success in the World Cup. The best result for Portugal during Ronaldo's World Cup appearances was reaching the semifinals in the 2006 Germany World Cup. Since then, they have been eliminated in the Round of 16 in 2010 and 2018, the group stage in 2014, and the quarterfinals in 2022, never advancing to the final match.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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