Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo look set for final shot at World Cup glory

World Cup st is set for perhaps one final shootout between two greatest soccer players of ir generation — and to many, two greatest of all time.

Surely, this year's tournament in Qatar presents Lionel Messi and Cristia Ronaldo with one last chance to win ultimate trophy. Even by ir own remarkable powers of endurance, it is unlikely eir will be around for next tournament in 2026 when Messi will be 39 and Ronaldo 41.

Pele and Diego Marona — perhaps only two players who can still challenge supremacy of Messi and Ronaldo in history books — earned ir reputations from ir achievements on this st.

Pele won trophy three times with Brazil, while Marona led Argentina to title in 1986 with a performance of such individual brilliance that it left an indelible mark on tournament.

For all ir genius, Argentina's Messi and Portugal's Ronaldo have yet to emulate two men y have spent ir careers trying to surpass.

se are final sts of ir storied careers, which have seen m share 12 Ballon d’Or awards, nine Champions League titles, 18 league titles and plenty of or accoles. But to d World Cup would be ultimate at a time when both players are seeing ir powers wane.

Messi has recently spoken like a man who finally accepts he cant go on forever.

“I’m lucky to be able to be at this World Cup at 35 years old,” Argentine told DirectTV in October. “After this World Cup, we will see what could happen with my career.”

Meanwhile, Ronaldo hes to Qatar with his career in disarray after failing to secure a move away from Manchester United and being dropped by manr Erik ten Hag. Last month, he was dropped from squ and h to train apart from first team as punishment for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham.

At this point, it's impossible to judge what condition he might be in mentally or physically at World Cup.

Likewise, it's impossible to rule out a player who has repeatedly set new standards even into twilight of his playing days. He recently scored his 700th career club goal.

Of great rivals, Messi appears to have edge right w. Even if he may t have replicated his best years at Barcelona since joining Paris Saint-Germain, he is proving more influential in his second season in France, with goals flowing once again.

That both are in a position to compete at World Cup is a testament to way y have looked after ir bodies.

Former England physiorapist Dave Hancock, who went on to become director of training and performance for New York Knicks and is w CEO of sports data manment app Apollo, believes soccer players have followed le set by American athletes.

“You see that in a lot of American sports," Hancock told Associated Press. "I’ve seen that over years looking after people like Kevin Durant, and Saquon Barkley, privately.

“If you look at Tom Bry, he’s 45. He has his own guy. re is a team around m so y realize longer y play more money y are going to earn.”

Hancock said Messi and Ronaldo share same mental traits — even if y are physically different.

“y are slightly different players and different, what we call somatos, which is ir body physique,” he said. “But clearly those guys playing at highest level for so long have understood what y need to do to sustain it, wher that is working in gym, watching what y eat, sleep.

“With all se guys, if you look at any industry, best of best will eir keep recreating mselves, but will keep continuing to work at being best of best.”

Neir Messi r Ronaldo will be defined by World Cup even if it continues to elude m. Times have changed and club soccer has largely overtaken international game in terms of profile and popularity because of success of Champions League and Premier League in particular.

Fans around world have been able to witness brilliance of Messi and Ronaldo on a twice-weekly basis, which was never case with Pele or Marona.

ir respective feats for Barcelona and Real Mrid, especially, created a rivalry unlike any seen in sport, with Ballon d’Or almost becoming a personal duel for more than a dece, while ir scoring tallies were driven to ever-increasing heights.

Such have been ir achievements at highest levels of club game that any argument suggesting y need to prove mselves in international competition have been rendered redundant. t least because both have ended ir barren runs with ir national teams with Ronaldo inspiring Portugal to victory at 2016 European Championship and Messi winning Copa America with Argentina last year.

But World Cup is final frontier — and perhaps an opportunity for one of se remarkable players to write one glorious final chapter.