Next year's FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever. With 48 teams - up from the usual 32 - and three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—the greatest show on earth is poised to deliver a spectacle of monumental proportions. But amidst this expansion, another narrative commands the world’s attention: the last stand of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For nearly two decades, these two icons have set the standard, rewriting records, collecting accolades, and elevating the sport to new artistic and competitive heights. Now, on football’s grandest stage, Messi and Ronaldo prepare for their final act.
But the online sports betting sites don't make either of their respective countries, namely Argentina and Portugal, the favourites for the title. That is an honour that goes to reigning European champions Spain. Led by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, the latest sports betting odds for next year's spectacle make La Roja the 6/1 favourites to claim their second World Cup crown. But what about our two veteran superstars? Let's see what hopes they have.
Messi’s 2022 Masterpiece and the GOAT Debate
World Cup victories are rare—so rare, in fact, that they often become the fulcrum upon which GOAT arguments tip. In December 2022, Lionel Messi changed the contours of this debate forever.
Many said that the former Barcelona magician could never be considered better than the greats of Pele and Diego Maradona unless he led his beloved Albiceleste to global glory. But just as it looked like the window for him to climb his final peak was closing, the 36-year-old rolled back the years. Messi won the Player of the Tournament award after helping his side to a penalty shootout victory against France in the Qatar final, a victory that helped him finally get his hands on the famous gold trophy for the first time ever.
Throughout the tournament, the Argentina captain was in scintillating form despite his advancing years. Seven goals, three assists, a goal in every knockout round, and two strikes in perhaps the greatest final ever played.
Until that December night in Lusail, critics pointed to Maradona and Pele as being more “complete” for having lifted the World Cup. That conversation has since shifted dramatically. Messi’s World Cup win elevated him above the fray for many. Was he the greatest ever? The stats said yes, but the lack of a World Cup winners' medal left a question mark.
Well, that blemish has since been erased, and with 2026 just around the corner, Messi is now free from the massive weight of expectation. But even so, the hunger endures. Can he deliver one final encore?
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Can Argentina Go Back-to-Back?
Argentina heads to North America as the reigning champions and chasing history. Only Italy (1934–38) and Brazil (1958–62) have ever successfully retained the trophy. Now the Albiceleste, priced as an 8/1 contender by the bookies, aim to join that exclusive club. But what gives them hope, and what must they overcome?
Look at the core: Messi remains the talisman and the orchestrator in chief, but he will be 39 by the time the MetLife Stadium final rolls around. Julian Alvarez scored four vital goals in Qatar, but he is coming into his peak, as is midfield dynamo Enzo Fernandez, the young player of the tournament in 2022. Coaching, too, is vital.
Lionel Scaloni was the architect of Argentina’s Qatari renaissance. He is known for his willingness to innovate, and never rests on his laurels. As we saw in 2022, he didn't wait around in making changes following that shock opening-day defeat to Saudi Arabia. In came Alvarez, Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister. And the rest was history.
Yet obstacles loom large. The expanded format means more matches, higher fatigue, and a labyrinth of potential banana skins along the way. European giants—France, England, and Spain—are rearming. South American neighbours Brazil and Uruguay remain hungry. Argentina must summon both unity and stamina to prevail where so many defending champions have fallen, especially with the Champions' curse looming over their heads.
Portugal's Maiden Triumph?
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2026 World Cup will be the final role in a career defined by being superhuman. His side is considered a 12/1 shot of leaving MetLife with the trophy, and he will be hoping that his team can carry him somewhat close to the title.
The squad’s spine is formidable. Ruben Dias anchors a defence that conceded fewer than a goal per game during UEFA Euro 2024, while Diogo Costa has rapidly emerged as one of Europe’s most reliable goalkeepers. Midfield brilliance comes in the form of Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, while the attacking dynamism of Rafael Leão and João Félix offers a spark that Portugal sometimes lacked in previous cycles.
Coaching will be the ultimate X-factor. Roberto Martínez guided Belgium to a World Cup semifinal in 2018, but critics have begun to circle over the Spaniard. He has kept his faith in the ageing Ronaldo, who will be 41 at the conclusion of next summer's showdown, to differing results. The European Championships were disappointing, but this summer's UEFA Nations League triumph - beating the much-fancied Spain in the final - has alleviated some doubts.
Can Portugal finally deliver on the grandest stage? Since their Euro 2016 triumph, Portugal’s tournament record has been patchy—exits in the last 16 at the 2018 World Cup and a surprise quarterfinal loss to Morocco four years later. Two Nations League triumphs say they can get it together when it really matters, and they will need to do so next summer if Ronaldo's legacy is ever to be spoken of in the same breath as Messi's.