Retirement is a word that football fans do not want to hear when it comes to legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both have entered the final years of their careers, leaving fans wondering when they will officially hang up their boots. But do we really know when they will retire? So far, neither Messi nor Ronaldo have announced their official retirement date. However, recently, both have revealed some information about this plan. So, who will retire first messi or ronaldo? Let’s find out with Bestsoccertips.com through the article below!
Who will retire first Messi or Ronaldo?
It is believed that Messi and Ronaldo will officially retire after the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. At that point, Messi will be 39 and Ronaldo will be 41, with Ronaldo potentially being one of the oldest players to ever play in a World Cup. This could be the perfect ending for both, giving them a chance to say goodbye on the biggest stage, and if Argentina and Portugal face off, they could meet for the last time. While both will likely still play minor roles in their national teams, having Messi and Ronaldo together in a World Cup final is something that every football fan around the world would love.
As for the 2026 World Cup, Messi has stated that he would attend if he could “compete and help his teammates”. Similarly, Ronaldo has also expressed his desire to continue his international career after a disappointing Euro 2024, stating that “I think I will be at the 2026 World Cup.” With these statements, it is highly likely that both Messi and Ronaldo will be in their respective countries’ starting lineups in two years’ time. In addition, it is also possible that both players will announce their retirement decisions during the preparation for the World Cup, which would be extremely emotional for fans to witness.
Ronaldo retirement journey
Like his long-time rival Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement journey will also be an interesting one. CR7 currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, joining the club in 2022. With his current contract set to expire in June 2025, Ronaldo will need to extend his stay with Al-Nassr for another season or move to another club if he wants to play in the 2026 World Cup with Portugal.
As long-rumoured, Ronaldo is likely to return to Sporting Lisbon, where he could sign a short-term contract after leaving Al-Nassr. This would allow him to finish his club career in Europe before the 2026 World Cup, where he is likely to play a limited role for Portugal, appearing from the bench when needed. However, Ronaldo’s passion for football is well known, and many critics and fans believe he is unlikely to give up the game to which he has dedicated himself. Therefore, the possibility of Ronaldo continuing to play after the 2026 World Cup is still very high, especially if he maintains good fitness and scoring ability until he is in his early 40s.
Another important factor is that Ronaldo is still keen to reach the 1,000-goal mark in his career, a goal that will require him to continue playing for at least another 3 to 4 seasons to complete.
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Messi retirement path
Lionel Messi’s retirement path is predicted to be very interesting. He currently plays for Inter Miami and has signed a contract until the end of the 2025 MLS season. Although there are rumors that Messi will not retire when his contract with Inter Miami ends, many believe that he could return to his childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, where Messi played from the ages of 6 to 12. One possible retirement plan would be for Messi to sign a short-term contract with Newell’s Old Boys, play one season, and finish his club career at the 2026 World Cup before officially hanging up his boots.
However, Messi, who has won eight Ballons d’Or, recently dismissed rumors about his future by stating that “Inter Miami will be the last club of my career.” However, while playing for Barcelona, Messi had said on several occasions that he planned to retire there, but that never came to fruition. The reality is that players can change their minds and plans from season to season, so the possibility of Messi returning to Argentina to finish his club career at Newell’s Old Boys remains a pretty strong possibility.
Odds on Messi and Ronaldo retiring: What do the bookmakers think?
Rumours of Messi and Ronaldo retiring have been a hot topic since the early 2020s, prompting sportsbooks to offer special odds on when the two legends will officially hang up their boots. In 2024, Ronaldo is 6/1 in odds for retirement, while Messi is 7/1. The lower odds for Ronaldo are largely due to the two-year age gap between him and Messi, leading many bookmakers to believe that Ronaldo will be the first to retire.
Although both Messi and Ronaldo are expected to continue playing for at least another two years, until the 2026 World Cup, most fans have yet to bet on their retirements. Instead, they continue to follow Inter Miami and Al-Nassr matches to bet on bets like “Same Match Parlays” (SBPs), a type of bet where players bet on multiple outcomes occurring in the same match (such as Ronaldo scoring and assisting for Al-Nassr).
Will Messi and Ronaldo ever play on the same team?
Football fans have longed to see Messi and Ronaldo on the same team (and you might be one of them). Although the two have faced each other 36 times, they have never played together on the same team, not even in charity matches. And unfortunately, it seems unlikely that this dream of a partnership will ever come true, with both Messi and Ronaldo approaching retirement.
The last time this could happen was in 2022, when PSG were reportedly close to reaching a deal for Ronaldo after he left Manchester United. However, PSG ultimately decided not to make a formal offer. The deal, if it goes through, would see Messi and Ronaldo play together, albeit only for a short period of time, as Messi left PSG to join Inter Miami in the summer of 2023.
Conclusion
Although neither Messi nor Ronaldo have any official plans to retire, the question “Who will retire first Messi or Ronaldo” is always an interesting topic for fans. Although both are still maintaining their peak performance and can continue playing until the 2026 World Cup, it cannot be denied that, regardless of who retires first, they will forever be legends in football history, with extremely impressive milestones and achievements.
See more: Will Messi play 2026 World Cup? The future of a football legend
