Table of Contents
The greatest rivalry soccer has ever witnessed may have reached its end on the international stage. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the books, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo now face uncertain futures with their national teams after building legacies that will be debated for generations.
FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas shared on his "State of the Union Podcast" that Messi’s career was shaped in part by his rivalry with Ronaldo. The constant competition between the two pushed Messi to become the best version of himself, as they elevated each other.
"Ronaldo’s existence, as much as some might not like it, has made Messi better and made him what he is," Lalas said. "The competition. The volley. The back and forth. The challenge. Obviously, the ego in completely different ways, but they are both fueled by being the best."
Even without ever meeting on the World Cup stage, Messi and Ronaldo were constantly chasing one another through individual accomplishments. Ronaldo holds the edge in career goals, but Messi achieved the one milestone that had eluded his rival.
That was ultimately winning a World Cup.
Messi accomplished that with Argentina in 2022, completing a legacy-defining milestone that many once questioned whether he could achieve. The constant competition may also have fueled his fire and determination, pushing him to keep pushing himself toward greatness.
"I truly believe that the Messi we have is shaped and formed by not just the experiences that he has, but the relationships he has," Lalas said. "I think we have a better Messi and we have the best version of Messi because of Cristiano Ronaldo."
Lalas believes that regardless of what people say about Ronaldo, there is one thing that can never be taken away from him: he pushed Messi to become the best version of himself, helping fuel the journey that turned Messi into one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
"You can boo him all you want, and many people do," Lalas said. "I don’t think we have the same Messi if Cristiano Ronaldo is not part of his era and of his time and challenges him."
share
recommended
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Mbappé Goes Back-To-Back
What Do The World Cup Third-Place Winners Get?
Expert World Cup Predictions For The Spain-Argentina Final
How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Final This Sunday
How to Watch Mbappe and France vs. England: TV Channel, Live Stream, Live
France vs. England Prediction, Odds, Picks For World Cup Match
Move Over, Messi! Kylian Mbappé Breaks All-Time Record For World Cup Goals
Lionel Messi Tells Tom Brady 'Crazy' Story Behind Viral Lamine Yamal Baby Photoshoot
Top 50 Players From The 2026 World Cup Ahead Of The Final
Arrow pointing to the leftArrow pointing to the right
Item 1 of 3 
Get more from the FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic 
Portugal 
Argentina 
FIFA Men's World Cup 
Cristiano Ronaldo 
Lionel Messi 
Alexi Lalas
NEXT STORY
How to Watch the World Cup Today: Schedule, Times, TV, Streaming for Bronze Final
recommended
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Mbappé Goes Back-To-Back
What Do The World Cup Third-Place Winners Get?
Expert World Cup Predictions For The Spain-Argentina Final
How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Final This Sunday
How to Watch Mbappe and France vs. England: TV Channel, Live Stream, Live
France vs. England Prediction, Odds, Picks For World Cup Match
Move Over, Messi! Kylian Mbappé Breaks All-Time Record For World Cup Goals
Lionel Messi Tells Tom Brady 'Crazy' Story Behind Viral Lamine Yamal Baby Photoshoot
Top 50 Players From The 2026 World Cup Ahead Of The Final
Arrow pointing to the leftArrow pointing to the right
Item 1 of 3Original Article
