Ronaldo, Messi and Others Likely Playing at Last World Cup
BERLIN—Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among a handful of players hoping for a final hurrah in what is likely to be their last World Cup appearance.
Besides those two, there’s also Robert Lewandowski, Luis Suárez, Luka Modric, Dani Alves, Manuel Neuer, and Thomas Müller.
Hanging on for the next World Cup in 2026 in North America might just be a step to far for these veterans.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Perhaps ominously for Portugal’s Group H rivals, the 37-year-old Ronaldo has endured a frustrating season so far at Manchester United and will be eager to show what he can do in Qatar. Ronaldo is already the all-time top-scorer in men’s international soccer with 117 goals and has made a Portuguese record 191 appearances. The five-time five Ballon d’Or winner has scored goals wherever he has played, whether in his first stint at United, in a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid, or in helping Juventus win two Serie A titles before his return to the Premier League. However, his return has not gone as he would have liked so far this season. Ronaldo has been restricted to only one goal in nine Premier League appearances—most of those as a substitute….