The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to start on November 20 in Qatar.
Some well-known players will most likely make their final performances in this international event. Most football fans are excited to watch two of the world’s best, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, play in the final World Cup of their careers.
Their ongoing rivalry was a focal point of international football for many years. It’s conceivable that Messi, 35, and Ronaldo, 37, will only have one last shot to win the sport’s top prize before they call it quits.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andres Messi, who is widely regarded as the best player in football, is a legendary star with a long list of exceptional accomplishments. With seven Ballon d’Or awards, he holds the record for most of all players, and with Barcelona, he won the UEFA Champions League four times.
With 164 appearances for the Argentina National Football Team, Messi also holds the record for the most caps and is the leading scorer in the country’s history with 90 goals. Although he has never won the World Cup for his country, Messi did guide Argentina to the 2014 finals, where they lost to Germany in a thrilling match.
In 2006 and 2010, the team advanced to the quarterfinal round, while in 2018, they were ousted during the round of 16. In an interview with reporter Sebastian Vignolo on his program on October 6, the star said, “This would be my last World Cup.”
Messi said, “We’re in a pretty good place right now with a very good team; however, anything can happen in a World Cup.
The World Cup is unique because all the games are challenging, and the favorites are not necessarily the ones that triumph or even perform in the way that you anticipate. I’m not sure if we are the favorites, but Argentina is always a contender for significance in history.
We aren’t the favorites; in my opinion, there are teams ahead of us.”
Messi would join an exclusive group of athletes who have taken the field in five World Cups if he competes in the 2022 competition. With Messi participating in Qatar, he hopes to join Rafael Márquez, Antonio Carbajal, and Lothar Matthäus as the only players to accomplish the record thus far.
Messi and his team will face Saudi Arabia in Group C to kick off the competition on November 22.
Argentina will get tough competition from Poland and Mexico in the group, but they can overcome it, especially after proving their worth by defeating Brazil in the Copa America championship last year.
At the moment bookies have the odds for Argentina winning the World Cup at 13/2. Fans will be able to wager on their preferred players for the Qatar World Cup 2022, at most online sports betting lA7labet is the leading site for Saudi online sports betting.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is a global superstar and a Portuguese legend who has captured over 30 titles. Five Ballon d’Or awards and five UEFA Champions League titles have been earned by him. With regards to caps, Ronaldo sits third all-time with 191 lifetime appearances.
With 117 goals, he also holds the record for most goals scored internationally. Portugal was able to secure their spot for the 2022 World Cup by beating Turkey and North Macedonia in the play-offs.
Cristiano Ronaldo has stated that the 2022 World Cup will likely be his final international competition with Portugal and that he is pleased the event is taking place in Qatar.
Portugal is in Group H with Ghana, the Republic of Korea, and Uruguay.
Despite having a great lineup, Portugal will battle some of the biggest names in football in their group matches. They will play against Premier League talents Tariq Lamptey and Thomas Partey in the opening match versus Ghana on November 24.
After the World Cup, Ronaldo intends to quit Manchester United and join another team and Bayern Munich is a potential option for him.
Since his high-profile comeback from Juventus last year got out of hand, the player has been determined to leave United but is passionate about displaying his best in the last matches.
Final Verdict
With riveting matches, huge crowds, and legendary players, the Qatar World Cup 2022 is all set to take place. Messi and Ronaldo will be displaying their best forms, and fans will be eager to rally behind their teams.