The debate between football greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has received fresh attention at the 2026 FIFA World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Soccernet.ng reports.
This is even as former Super Eagles and Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has heaped praises on the Argentine captain after his impressive start to the tournament.
Football fans are closely watching what could be the final World Cup appearances of the two global icons. Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has even struggled to pick a favourite between the two legendary attackers.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have made history by becoming the first male players to feature in six different FIFA World Cups, and the tournament format has opened up the possibility of a long-awaited knockout clash between the rivals.
The opening matches of the competition produced very different outcomes for the two stars. Messi inspired Argentina to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Algeria in Group J, scoring all three goals, a win that erased an ugly Nigerian record. The hat-trick took his World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose as the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Critics, though, were surprised that Messi was not sent off in that game against Algeria.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by African debutants DR Congo in Group K. The Portuguese captain, aged 41 years and 123 days, became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match but failed to register a shot on target.
Onazi salutes Messi’s longevity
Onazi, who came up against Messi during Nigeria’s World Cup meetings with Argentina in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, said the Inter Miami forward continues to prove that elite talent can overcome the challenges of age.
“Messi, as we all know, is world class. At his age, he is still doing wonders. This is to show the level of talent and to remind everyone that age is just a number when you have class,” Onazi said as per Punch.
The former Trabzonspor midfielder was a key member of Nigeria’s squad at the 2014 World Cup, starting all four matches before the Super Eagles were knocked out by France in the Round of 16. He also represented Nigeria at the 2018 tournament and was part of the team that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Reflecting on Messi’s consistency over the years, Onazi added:
“He has consistently shown his world-class performance any time, any day. He does not talk too much, he just shows his work on the pitch.”
With Argentina and Portugal placed in different groups, a meeting between Messi and Ronaldo can only happen in the knockout rounds. Depending on how both teams progress, the football greats could meet in the Round of 16, the quarter-finals on July 11, or even the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
