Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Mark Leech / Getty, Carmen Mandato / Getty, Image Photo Agency / Getty, Llulis Gerry / Getty, Tim Clayton / Getty, Ryan Pierse / Getty, Fayez Nurelzine / Getty, Rich Storry / Getty The 2026 World Cup may be the ...

Ever since they finished first and second in the Ballon d’Or vote back in 2008, the careers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been irrevocably intertwined. From that moment, a previously unseen breed of superstar ushered in a new age for soccer ...

Lionel Messi played in his last World Cup final in 2026, a match that is now the definitive end of an era for soccer's great 21st-century individual battle. Just over a month later, Messi officially retired from international competition, ending his World ...

A new week, a new edition of Messi-Ronaldo watch. And they've both been scoring. Here's what Messrs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been up to this past week: Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football late on Monday night.

In a wild twist of fate, Tuesday, Oct. 6 may have seen the end of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's international careers. The contrast was stark.

The eternal debate over football's greatest of all time has taken a dramatic turn just days before the sport's elite gather in London. A new official poll designed to crown the 'Best of All Time' has seen one legendary figure pull significantly clear of the field.