Messi's Argentina vs Ronaldo's Portugal in World Cup final? Supercomputer predicts winner

With less than a month remaining for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to begin in Qatar, a supercomputer has already predicted which two teams will reach the finals. As seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo get set to play perhaps what could be the final World Cup of their illustrious careers, the supercomputer has predicted an epic showdown of the two in the finals.

Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo showdown to take place in Qatar

According to The Sun, a supercomputer used by BCA Research has predicted that Lionel Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will meet in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. The report adds that the experiment used EA Sports FIFA video game player statistics and a sample of all the matches from the last four editions of the World Cup. As per the results, Messi will win his first FIFA World Cup by defeating his arch-rival's side in the final.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have shared an iconic rivalry to be the best player in the world for more than a decade, and the number of Ballon d'Ors (12) shared between the two is a clear reflection of that. The Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry reached its peak when the two were competing against each other in La Liga. With Ronaldo playing for Real Madrid and Messi playing for arch-rivals Barcelona, the rivalry was all the more intense.

Lionel Messi to compete in final FIFA World Cup

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022 which is set to begin on November 20, Lionel Messi has confirmed that this year's edition will be his last. While speaking with Sebastián Vignolo, the Argentine international said, "This will be my last World Cup — for sure. The decision has been made. I’m counting down the days until the World Cup. The truth is, there’s a little anxiety, saying: 'Well, we’re here, what’s going to happen? It’s my last one, how’s it going to go? On one hand, I can’t wait for it to arrive but I’m also desperate for it to go well."

As for Cristiano Ronaldo, it remains unclear whether this year's edition of the World Cup will be his last or not. The 37-year, who received an honorary award from the Portuguese Football Federation earlier this year, said, "I hope to be a part of the Federation for a few more years. I still feel motivated, my ambition is high. My path to the national team is not over. We have many quality youngsters. I will be at the World Cup and I want to be at the European Championship."

Even though the Portuguese international did not comment upon his participation at the FIFA World Cup in 2026, it is fair to say that this could be the last time a Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo battle is seen at the grandest stage in international football.