Can Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo win the World Cup?

Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo could cap off a luminary career by lifting the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

With over 1,600 goals and over 50 big titles for club and country between them, these two icons have brought the game of football to a different dimension:

Few players have ever been this good for this long.

The great debate that's raged for over a decade now is who's better: Messi or Ronaldo? The World Cup in Qatar could give the perfect piece of ammunition to either side of the argument.

Were the captain of Argentina or the captain of Portugal to lift the most coveted prize in world football, their star would shine even brighter in the constellation of the greats.

So who's more likely to do it, Cristiano or Leo?

Messi is already through to the semis. Can CR7 follow?

Messi or Ronaldo? Who has more World Cups?

Messi and Ronaldo have never won a World Cup despite claiming enough silverware to fill two museums.

It's one of the most asked questions on Google, and while Messi has won a record seven Ballon d'Or (Best player in the world) awards, and Ronaldo five, neither has lifted the World Cup trophy.

And with Ronaldo now 37 and Messi 35, Qatar is probably the last chance for these two transcendental stars.

Qatar is Messi's fifth World Cup appearance and he's scored ten goals in 24 matches at the tournament.

CR7 is also featuring at his fifth World Cups and has scored eight goals in 21 appearances. The Portuguese megastar made history on Thursday (24 November) becoming the first male player to score in five World Cups when he opened scoring in his country's 3-2 win over Ghana.

Can Leo Messi win the World Cup?

Olympic champion, Copa America champion, World Cup winner?

Leo Messi lifting the FIFA World Cup Trophy would be a crowning moment for the Argentine superstar, and with the form he and Argentina are in right now it's very possible.

Argentina's most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer is playing in his fifth straight World Cup finals. He became the nation's youngest star to play and score in a FIFA World Cup in 2006.

Messi was key to Argentina making the final in 2014 where they lost 0-1 to Germany, and after a disappointing 2018 World Cup, la albiceleste is back hoping to claim top honours.

Jorge Sampaoli was replaced by Lionel Scaloni as manager after the 2018 letdown and the new coach has found a formula that has re-nergised Argentina.

Messi and another Olympic champ - Angel Di Maria - spearheaded Argentina's 2021 Copa America win - Leo's fifth Copa final - and they won the 2022 Finalissima.

Leo Messi's last World Cup: "Anxiety and nerves"

Messi was spectacular at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, leading Argentina into the final where Germany won 1-0 in extra-time.

Messi was awarded the Golden ball as player of the tournament, but the ultimate prize eluded him.

Fast forward eight years and the still-magical Messi will captain Argentina at 35 as a PSG player.

He says it will be his final tilt at the big one:

“There’s some anxiety and nerves at the same time ... it is the last one,” Messi said in an interview with Star Plus.

Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986 when Diego Maradona led them to glory.

Messi has played an entire career in Maradona's shadow, signaled out as his successor since the age of 17 when his extra-terrestrial talent led Argentina to the FIFA World Youth Championship, just as Diego Maradona had done before him in 1979.

And while Messi has outshone Maradona's club career many times over, winning the World Cup would end all debate.

So how does Messi see his nation's chances in Qatar?

“I don’t know whether we are big favourites," he continued to Star Plus.

"But I believe Argentina is a candidate because of its history, which means even more now because of the way we got here,” Messi said.

“But in a World Cup anything can happen, all the matches are very difficult. It isn’t always the favourites who win it.”

Messi scored Argentina's first goal in Qatar in their tournament opener on Tuesday (22 November) against Saudi Arabia in Group C but the favourites went on to suffer a 2-1 shock defeat.

The Argentinian legend broke the deadlock in their 2-0 win over Mexico when he scored the opener. And he led his country to a convincing 2-0 over Poland.

And Messi was at his best again in der round of 16 scoring the opener in the 2-1 win over Australia.

Messi found the net again in the 4-3 on penalties quarterfinals win against the Netherlands when he converted a penalty for a 2-0 lead (73'). He scored again in the penalty shootout. 

History awaits.

Messi's career stats

After winning the FIFA Youth World Championship in 2005 at 17, Messi went on to win Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 Games and rewrote history at club level with Barcelona:

Ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, four UEFA Champions League triumphs and three FIFA World Club Cup titles.

A Ligue 1 title in France followed with PSG in his first season in 2021.

How many goals has Leo Messi scored?

At the time of writing Messi has scored 691 club goals and counting, while he has a staggering 248 assists to his name too.

His international goal tally is at 94 right now and he's scored ten World Cup goals in 24 appearances.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo win the World Cup?

Of course, it's impossible to talk about Messi without Ronaldo.

Most generations of football fans get one era-defining player: Pele, Maradona, Johan Cruyff, George Best, Lothar Matthaus, Romario, Ronaldinho...

Planet football had seen otherworldly talents before, but never two who sustained their careers for this long at the same time, pushing each other to ever-greater heights the way Ronaldo and Messi have.

CR7 is aiming to cap off a cosmic career by lifting the World Cup and cementing his personal claim to being the greatest of all time.

Ronaldo was greatly responsible for Portuguese football's greatest moment yet: The Euro 2016 victory - Portugal's first ever major international title.

Now, CR7 wants to win the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup

Even Ronaldo has suggested this will be his last World Cup, telling Bein Sports:

"I expect Qatar could be my final World Cup."

Ronaldo is Portugal's most-capped player with 193 appearances - a European record too - and their all-time top scorer with 118 goals at the time of writing.

He's also played at four World Cup finals just like Messi but the farthest he's reached with the Selecao is the semi-finals in Germany 2006.

Portugal have the confidence of winning Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019.

There's a generation of young Portuguese talent that could ignite at this World Cup.

The likes of Joao Felix, Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes, Gonzalo Guedes, Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Renato Sanches, Francisco Trincao, Diogo Jota and William Carvalho give Portugal a rounded feel with a strong mix of youth and experience.

Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup 2022

There's a continuity in the Portugal team too brought by manager Fernando Santos who's been head coach since 2014.

While Portugal failed to make the final four of the most recent Nations League and Ronaldo didn't have the most sensational start to the season at Manchester United, make no mistake that he'll lead Portugal out as captain in Qatar.

Reaching a landmark 700 club goals in October was a lift and he'll aim to make it to the Middle East with all guns blazing.

Portugal have been drawn in Group H in Qatar. After beating Ghana 3-2 and Uruguay 2-0, the Portuguese have secured a place in the round of 16 despite losing 1-2 to the Republic of Korea in their last match at group stage.

As winners of Group H, Portugal faced Switzerland in the round of 16 scoring an impressive 6-1 win to set up a quarterfinal against Morocco. Coach Santos selected to start the game against the Swiss without CR7 and only brought him on after 73 minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo's career stats

Seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship, three FIFA World Club Cup titles, a half-dozen domestic cups, Cristiano Ronaldo's achievements speak for themselves.

He holds the records for most appearances (183), goals (140), and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals in the European Championship (14), international goals (118), and international appearances by a European (193).

A World Cup-winners medal would complete a blinding CV and end all arguments about the G.O.A.T. for his supporters.

Biggest stars at Qatar World Cup 2022: Mbappe, Harry Kane...

Looking beyond Messi and Ronaldo there are plenty of other superstars vying for glory.

Kylian Mbappe is reigning champ from 2018 and France won't let go easily.

Then there's England with captain Harry Kane who led his side to the final of Euro 2020.

Other stars like Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, Jude Bellingham, Reece James, Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford have England fans dreaming of a first World Cup since 1966.

It isn't all about Messi or Ronaldo, but every single player in this paragraph has been inspired by the two greats that have changed football forever

Seeing one of them lift the game's most coveted prize would be a fairytale ending to either career.