CELEBRITY
World Cup: Why goals aren’t the only thing Messi and Ronaldo are chasing in Qatar
PHOTO: AFP
Do you believe in fairy-tale endings?
For many, that would be seeing either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo – the two greatest players of their generation – riding off into the sunset with football’s greatest prize.
Messi is 35 and Ronaldo 37, and as exceptional as both are at making fools of defenders and scoring goals – combined, they have over 1,500 – Father Time is one opponent they will not be able to beat.
Both have indicated that this is likely to be their last World Cup. A final chance at winning the one trophy which has eluded them throughout their illustrious careers.
Between the two, Messi appears to have the better chance in Qatar.
Argentina are on a 35-match unbeaten run, and last lost a game in July 2019.
In fact, if Lionel Scaloni’s men avoid defeat in the group stage – they play Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland in Group C – they will eclipse Italy to set a new unbeaten record in international football.
During their run, Argentina won their first major trophy in 28 years when they captured the 2021 Copa America, which marked Messi’s first and only international tournament win.
He came agonisingly close to winning the World Cup in 2014. Germany, though, pipped Argentina to the title in Brazil with a goal in extra time by substitute Mario Gotze.
A sombre, almost dazed, Messi clutching the tournament’s best player trophy, awarded to him after the final, was one of the enduring images from that World Cup. He will want a different snapshot to look back on from Qatar.
Ronaldo’s Portugal, meanwhile, have not been as all-conquering as Argentina in recent years.
They needed to go through the stress of negotiating play-off games, where they beat Turkey and North Macedonia to book their spot in Qatar.
Despite this, the Portuguese squad can rely on self-belief that they have what it takes to win in major tournaments.
They lifted the 2019 Nations League and the 2016 European Championship, the latter of which was memorable partly because they did it without their talisman Ronaldo, who was substituted in the 25th minute in the final against France because of injury.
He was in tears as he was stretchered off, but later composed himself to become head coach Fernando Santos’ right-hand man in the technical area. With an ice pack strapped to his knee, Ronaldo became more and more animated as the game wore on, barking instructions and cajoling his teammates to a famous win over the French.
Never one to shun the spotlight, this month the preening star will also be on a personal mission as he aims to become the first player in history to score in five World Cups.
He is currently among only four players – the others are Brazil great Pele and German duo Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler – who have scored in four tournaments.
Goals, however, win only games and in Qatar, both Ronaldo and Messi will want more than just to bulge the net.
Some – incorrectly, in my opinion – consider a World Cup win to be a must-have for a player to be in the “Greatest Of All Time” conversation.
That is why fans of a certain vintage insist that, as brilliant as Messi is, he is still in 1986 champion Diego Maradona’s shadow.
It is why Pele, the only three-time winner, is touted as the greatest ever.
Whether this generation’s greatest pair can convince the few remaining doubters, will be seen in just over a month.
For the record, it is possible for a Messi-Ronaldo final to take place, even if improbable. The tournament draw in April set up the possibility of this meeting, if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups, or if both finish second.
And if you are wondering who has the edge between the two – the answer is Messi.
he Argentinian has won 16 of their 36 meetings for both club and country, compared to Ronaldo’s 11.
If you take into account only finals of competitive matches, however, the score is even, with one win apiece.
The last, and possibly defining chapter in the story of their rivalry, could be written in Qatar.
Lionel Messi at the World Cup
Editions: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Games: 19
Goals: Six
Best achievement: Runner-up and Golden Ball (2014)
Argentina’s matches in Qatar – Group C: Saudi Arabia (Nov 22, 6pm), Mexico (Nov 27, 3am), Poland (Dec 1, 3am)
Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup
Editions: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
Games: 17
Goals: Seven
Best achievement: Semi-final (2006)
Portugal’s matches in Qatar – Group H: Ghana (Nov 25, midnight), Uruguay (Nov 29, 3am), South Korea (Dec 2, 11pm)
Can they meet in Qatar?
Messi and Ronaldo have never crossed paths at the World Cup. But:
If both Argentina and Portugal top their group… They can meet in the final.
If both Argentina and Portugal finish second… They can meet in the final.
If Argentina top group and Portugal finish second… They can meet in the semi-final.
If Portugal top group and Argentina finish second… They can meet in the semi-final.
-Strait Times
Former England soccer captain David Beckham and actor Gary Oldman were knighted in King Charles’ annual birthday honours list on Saturday, while sculptor Antony Gormley was made a Companion of Honour.
Beckham, 50, joined Manchester United as a trainee in 1993, going on to make almost 400 appearances for the club where he won a string of titles and cups.
He subsequently played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Inter Milan, as well as captaining his country 58 times and making 115 appearances.
His marriage to fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 1999 cemented a celebrity status which went far beyond his sporting exploits.
Oldman, 67, started his career on the stage, where he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, before rising to prominence in film. He won the best actor Oscar for playing Winston Churchill in the 2017 drama “Darkest Hour”.
He also had roles in the “Dark Knight Trilogy” and the “Harry Potter” movie series and more recently starred in the TV spy drama “Slow Horses”.
Other famous names receiving honours included damehoods for musical theatre star Elaine Paige, novelist Pat Barker and ceramics maker Emma Bridgewater.
Roger Daltrey, lead singer of rock band the Who and a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust, received a knighthood for services to charity.
More than 1,200 people received honours for their achievements, with a particular focus on those who had given their time to public service, the government said.
King Charles’ official birthday will be celebrated with the annual “Trooping the Colour” military parade in London on Saturday. His actual birthday is on November 14
-Reuters
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One of three judges in Diego Maradona’s closely scrutinized homicide trial in Argentina resigned on Tuesday amid a scandal triggered by the alleged filming of an unauthorised documentary, bringing uncertainty to the future of legal proceedings.
The high-profile trial over the death of soccer star Maradona began on March 11 in the South American country where the World Cup winner is still revered.
-Reuters
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For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The League of Wealthy Sportsmen
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2025
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