Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo enter the 2026 World Cup — now less than 100 days away — with legendary resumes full of parallels and perpendiculars.
For one thing, Messi’s Argentina are reigning champions from 2022 and have a pair of Copas America sandwiched around it as the world’s greatest player has splattered his international resume with glory over the past half-decade.
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Ronaldo and Portugal are still hunting for a World Cup, and the 40-year-old is yet to advance as far as he did in his first World Cup.
Both players made their World Cup debuts in 2006, a tournament which saw Messi turn 19 while Ronaldo was 21.
How have they fared in the tournament? Depends on the player and the stage. Read on for that, but first their World Cup schedules for 2026 (assuming — wink, wink — that Messi decides to play).
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s 2026 World Cup schedule
Group K
June 17 vs Democratic Republic of Congo or Jamaica
June 23 vs Uzbekistan
June 27 vs Colombia
Lionel Messi, Argentina’s 2026 World Cup schedule
Group J
June 16 vs Algeria
June 22 vs Austria
June 27 vs Jordan
Lionel Messi’s World Cup history with Argentina
Messi made his World Cup debut in Argentina’s second game of the 2006 World Cup, scoring a goal and adding an assist in just 16 minutes worth of work against Serbia and Montenegro. He started a group stage finale dtaw against Netherlands and served as a sub in a Round of 16 defeat of Mexico but did not leave the bench when Argentina lost an extra-time quarterfinal match with Germany in penalties.
Messi’s 2006 World Cup stats: 3 games, 1 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist
2010 was another quarterfinal run, though Messi would face grief for a low number of goal contributions. Argentina rolled through group play and Messi set up a goal in a Round of 16 defeat of Mexico before being blanked by Germany in a 4-0 loss.
Messi’s 2010 World Cup stats: 5 games, 5 starts, 1 assist
The next tournament felt like fate right up into the final, as Messi was the player of the group stage and set up an extra time winner against Switzerland in the Round of 16. He didn’t score in wins over Belgium and the Netherlands and was blanked in the final when Mario Gotze won the extra time duel for Germany.
Messi’s 2014 World Cup stats: 7 games, 7 starts, 4 goals, 1 assist
The 2018 World Cup might’ve featured the most thrilling game of Messi’s tournament run, though it ended in defeat. Messi was kept off the score sheet in a 1-1 draw with Iceland and a 3-0 loss to Croatia, but scored in a 2-1 win over Nigeria that set them up for a Round of 16 clash with France. Messi assisted Argentina’s second goal to make the game 2-1 and then set up another in stoppage time to produce a thrilling finish but the eventual champions won 4-3.
Messi’s 2018 World Cup stats: 4 games, 4 starts, 1 goal, 2 assists
Was Messi past his prime? Had he missed his chance? Those were legitimate storylines ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and Messi’s answer was emphatic. A very shaky start saw Messi score but Argentina lose to Saudi Arabia, but they never looked back. Messi had a goal and an assist against Mexico, then scored in all four knockout round games, He bagged the first marker of the Final’s penalty shootout and lifted his first World Cup.
Messi’s 2022 World Cup stats: 7 games, 7 starts, 7 goals, 3 assists
Group stage games: 14 games, 8 goals, 2 assists
Knockout round games: 12 games, 5 goals, 6 assists
Total stats: 26 games, 13 goals, 8 assists
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup history with Portugal
The 2006 saw a 21-year-old Ronaldo further impress his status on the world as he scored a group stage goal and started five of Portugal’s matches en route to a fourth-place finish.
Ronaldo’s 2006 World Cup stats: 6 games, 5 starts, 1 goal
Portugal’s 2010 World Cup run was disappointing, as scoreless draws with Ivory Coast and Brazil were sandwiched around a 7-0 demolition of North Korea. They were blanked by Spain 1-0 in the Round of 16.
Ronaldo’s 2010 World Cup stats: 4 games, 4 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist
Four years later it was a stunning group stage exit as Germany hammered Portugal 4-0 and the U.S. nearly beat them before a late equalizer delivered a 2-2 draw. A 2-1 win over Ghana was a mere consolation as the USMNT and Germany advanced.
Ronaldo’s 2014 World Cup stats: 3 games, 3 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist
In 2018, there was a Ronaldo hat trick as part of a thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain followed by a win over Morocco and draw with Iran. The Round of 16 was again the exit point as Uruguay beat Portugal 2-1 as Ronaldo was held off the score sheet.
Ronaldo’s 2018 World Cup stats: 4 games, 4 starts, 4 goals
The 2022 World Cup started great with wins over Ghana and Uruguay. After an unimportant 2-1 loss to South Korea in the group stage finale, the Portuguese hammered Switzerland with Ronaldo as a sub before losing 1-0 to Morocco in the quarterfinal.
Ronaldo’s 2022 World Cup stats: 6 games, 4 starts, 1 goal
Ronaldo’s career World Cup stats
Group stage games: 14 games, 8 goals, 2 assists
Knockout round games: 8 games
Total stats: 22 games, 8 goals, 2 assists
