Football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are preparing for what is expected to be their sixth and final FIFA World Cup appearance at the 2026 tournament.
The two football greats, who have dominated world football for nearly two decades, are on course to become the first male players to feature in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, is expected to captain the South American champions once again as they seek to defend their title in North America.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, remains determined to lead Portugal in one final attempt to win football’s biggest international trophy after several near misses throughout his career.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is already attracting global attention partly because it could mark the final international tournament for both superstars.
Messi made his World Cup debut in 2006 and has since established himself as one of the tournament’s greatest players, winning the Golden Ball twice and lifting the trophy in 2022.
Ronaldo also debuted at the 2006 World Cup and became the first male footballer to score in five different World Cup tournaments after finding the net in Qatar 2022.
Both players continue to command massive global fan bases despite entering the latter stages of their careers.
Football fans around the world are expected to closely follow the tournament as the long-standing Messi-Ronaldo rivalry approaches its final chapter on the international stage.
The 2026 edition will also be historic as the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, making it the largest tournament in the competition’s history.
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