Is It Time for Cristiano and Messi to Retire?
For nearly two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi defined what greatness looked like in world football. Their rivalry, born in the late 2000s, turned into one of the biggest duels in sports history. From Ballon d’Or battles to Champions League glory, their names were always at the top, dragging their teams to titles and leaving records shattered along the way. However, in 2025, things feel different. In the span of just seven hours, both icons saw their continental dreams crushed: Cristiano in Asia, Messi in North America. And as much as fans wish to deny it, their time at the top is slipping away.
Cristiano, now leading Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is still the face of his team and the league’s top scorer, but the Asian Champions League continues to be his great frustration. This week, his side fell 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale, marking the second year in a row he exited the tournament before the final. He had several chances, but the ball refused to go in. Last year, it was a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss in the Quarterfinals. This time, no extra time magic, just the cold reality that even legends have limits. At 40, Cristiano remains fierce, but the big continental trophy that eludes him is starting to feel out of reach.
Over in North America, Messi’s American dream took a hit of its own. Inter Miami, his new home since 2023, was dismantled by Vancouver in the Semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, losing 5-1 on aggregate. Just like that, another shot at international club success vanished. Messi, 37, has already brought trophies to Miami and reunited with old friends like Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba, but on the biggest stage in North America, he’s come up short twice now. Last year, it was Monterrey; this year, it was Vancouver. The fairytale is beginning to show cracks.
Reality is catching up. Cristiano and Messi, kings of a generation, are closer than ever to the finish line. Their careers, once filled with epic comebacks and record-breaking nights in Europe’s elite leagues, are now playing out far from the spotlight of the world’s biggest clubs. It’s no coincidence, they both fell in their respective Semifinals this year, just as they both exited in the Quarterfinals last season. Their paths seem destined to stay intertwined until the very end. They have the World Cup next year; will they be ready for that stage at this point in their career? Will Messi be able to push his limits and be ready to bring another championship to Argentina? For now, we savor what’s left, because the final chapters are being written right before our eyes.
