Lionel Messi has yet to confirm whether he’ll suit up for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup, but his continued brilliance at age 38 keeps fans hopeful. Despite nearing 39 by the tournament’s kickoff, the Inter Miami star shows no signs of slowing down, prompting Brazilian legend Ronaldo to weigh in with a bold take on Messi’s World Cup prospects.
A two-time World Cup champion and Ballon d’Or winner himself, Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. In a recent interview with DSports, he praised Argentina’s form under Lionel Scaloni and emphasized the impact Messi still has at the international level.
“Argentina national team has a lot of quality. Scaloni has built a team that plays with great determination and commitment, a team that always helps each other all the time, a very clever team that can also endure suffering. And obviously, having Messi makes a huge difference compared to everyone else,” Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo also highlighted Messi’s performances during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with Inter Miami, saying the Argentine playmaker continues to defy expectations: “I’ve been watching Leo in these Club World Cup matches, and he still has a way to go, he still has things to offer. The truth is, whenever he touches the ball, something interesting always happens.
“He always reads the game well and knows what play to make. If he loses the ball, he tries to win it back. I see him doing very well, and I believe he’ll be in good shape for the World Cup,” the Brazilian icon added.
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With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19, Messi will turn 39 during the tournament. But after continuing to shine on the global stage—especially against elite competition in the Club World Cup—Ronaldo believes Messi is more than capable of leading Argentina in the historic tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Argentina remain atop FIFA World Ranking
As World Cup qualifiers continue, FIFA updated its men’s national team rankings on July 10. Argentina maintained the No. 1 spot, extending a streak that dates back to June 2023 following their World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Led by Messi, Argentina currently sit atop the ranking with 1885.36 points, ahead of Spain in second place with 1867.09. France remain close behind in third with 1862.03. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal climbed to sixth after winning the UEFA Nations League, overtaking the Netherlands with 1770.53 points.
