After Cristiano Ronaldo says he doesn’t dream of winning World Cup, Lionel Messi makes stance clear about ‘ultimate achievement’ in football

Argentine skipper Lionel Messi has claimed that winning the FIFA World Cup is the 'ultimate achievement' in football. This comes days after his eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, said he doesn't dream of winning the title.

Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory in 2022. At the time, the World Cup was the only major trophy missing from his cabinet, and winning it further cemented his status as the Greatest of All Time.

The Inter Miami superstar recently sat for an interview with American Business Forum, where he spoke about how it felt to win the World Cup. He described it as the greatest accomplishment in the sport, citing that adding the trophy to his cabinet gave him a feeling of fulfillment in his career.

"Winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement. After the World Cup, there’s nothing more you can ask for. It’s hard to explain the feelings from that moment. It’s difficult to find words to describe what that title meant on a personal level, for my family, my teammates, and for the country," Messi said (via All About Argentina on X).

He continued:

"It was clear how the whole nation celebrated it, the need and desire we all had for that to happen again after such a long time." "It was special, I had already been lucky enough to achieve everything else before at club level, individually. That was the one thing missing, the one that completed my entire career with that trophy," Lionel Messi added.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, in a recent interview with Piers Morgan, claimed that he doesn't dream of winning the World Cup. The Portuguese also suggested that winning the coveted trophy is not a yardstick for determining the best footballer in history.

He said:

"If you ask me Cristiano is a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream." No. To define what? To define if I'm one of the best in history to win one competition, six games, seven games. You think it's fair?"

In what could be their last major tournament outing, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to lead their respective countries to the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. If they do, both will become the only two players to feature at six FIFA World Cup editions.

Cristiano Ronaldo claims he is better than Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo has made a bold claim in his rivalry with Lionel Messi. The Al-Nassr star believes he is better than his Argentine rival and said during his interview with Piers Morgan:

"I don't agree [that Messi is better]. I don't want to be humble."

Ronaldo is the leading goalscorer in men's football with over 950 goals scored for club and country. He has won 34 major trophies, including five Ballons d'Or. Messi, on the other hand, is the most decorated player in football with 46 career trophies. The Argentine also holds the record for most Ballon d'Or wins (eight).

Edited by Okenna Okere