Football legend Lionel Messi has spoken candidly about the significance of winning the FIFA World Cup, describing it as the “ultimate achievement” for any player — a response that comes after Cristiano Ronaldo downplayed the tournament’s importance in defining greatness.
In a recent interview, Ronaldo told British journalist Piers Morgan, “No, it’s not a dream. To define if I’m one of the best in history by winning one competition, of six or seven games — you think it’s fair?” His remarks stirred debate across the football world, with many fans interpreting them as a jab at Messi’s World Cup triumph.
Messi, who lifted the coveted trophy with Argentina in Qatar 2022, offered a calm but pointed reflection. “For me, it was special,” he said. “First, because for a player, winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement. It’s like anyone in their job, any professional reaching the top.”
He continued, “There’s nothing more to win after the World Cup. You can’t ask for anything more. And on top of that, I had been lucky enough to have achieved everything before.”
Messi added that his Copa América victory in 2021 felt like the missing puzzle piece before his crowning moment on the world stage. “We had also won the Copa América with the national team. That was the missing piece. It was like closing out my entire career with that trophy,” he said.
While both superstars have long defined modern football’s greatest rivalry, their contrasting philosophies on legacy and glory have once again sparked fan debate — one that may never find a definitive winner.
