“Messi has won everything while Cristiano Ronaldo is still desperate” - Emmanuel Petit questions Lionel Messi’s participation in 2026 World Cup

Former France international Emmanuel Petit reckons Lionel Messi's participation is doubtful in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo's, as the Argentine has already won the competition.

Messi, 37, led from the front, bagging seven goals and three assists in seven games - playing every minute of every game and scoring in all four knockout outings - as Argentina dethroned defending champions France in the final.

While he has sounded coy about his chances of participating in the quadrennial showpiece next summer, Messi featured in Argentina's successful qualifying campaign, contributing six goals and three assists in nine games.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo endured heartbreak in his fifth straight World Cup, as Portugal lost 1-0 to Morocco in the quarter-finals, with the Al-Nassr striker scoring just once in five games.

Petit told BesteOnlineCasinoNederland (via GOAL) that Messi has nothing left to prove on the global stage, unlike Ronaldo:

“Should Lionel Messi risk the winning end to his World Cup legacy? I remember Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane coming out of retirement to help the France national team, and we all know what happened in the 2006 World Cup.

“If you show humility, it can work, Messi has won everything, while Cristiano Ronaldo is still desperate to win the World Cup and to have one more chance, but both will be hard to manage in different ways."

Petit continued:

“Messi brings pure joy to his team-mates and would be hard to leave out. Ronaldo also brings motivation, but he won’t be able to play every minute.

“When it comes to the World Cup, I hope to see both Messi and Ronaldo playing there if they are fit. I want to see Messi playing for Argentina and Ronaldo for Portugal and it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Both Messi and Ronaldo have made five appearances at the World Cup, with the Portuguese's best showing being a semi-final run in 2006.

How have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fared in international football since the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still going strong despite being in the twilight of their illustrious careers. Despite his World Cup heartbreak in 2022, Ronaldo has continued to deliver the goods for Portugal.

He scored 10 times in Portugal's successful qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 but flopped in the finals, going scoreless in five outings, as the Selecao lost on penalties to France in the quarter-final. Since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo has 18 goals and four assists in 23 games for Portugal.

Meanwhile, Messi has added the Copa America 2024 to his collection since his World Cup triumph, bagging 14 goals and six assists in 19 games for Argentina.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav