Cristiano Ronaldo in a recent interview with Piers Morgan aired on Wednesday, November 5, stated that winning a World Cup wasn’t a dream.

“If you ask me, Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream. To define if I'm one of the best in history, to win one competition, six games, seven games, you think that's fair?” the Al-Nassr captain noted.

Hours later that day, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and his long-standing rival, Lionel Messi, speaking at the America Business Forum, held at the Kaseya Centre in Miami, highlighted that winning the title of football’s greatest tournament, the FIFA World Cup, is the highest achievement any player can attain in football.

According to him, he feels fulfilled after leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the memory continues to excite him every time it comes to mind.

The Barcelona icon noted that clinching the Mundial was the perfect way to cap off his footballing career, and nothing more could be asked of him.

"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.

"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”.

He continued that it was an exceptional experience in his life, having won trophies in his career, but winning the World Cup “completed my entire career with that trophy.”

"...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.”

This comes after his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo rejected the notion that he needs to lead Portugal to a World Cup title to be considered among the greatest players in history.

The Real Madrid legend is expected to feature in FIFA’s flagship event in 2026, his sixth appearance at the tournament, but insists he does not need a World Cup win to validate his legacy.

Meanwhile, the Argentina and Inter Miami CF captain Messi has expressed his desire to join his country to defend their title after winning the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

However, he said he is yet to make a final decision on whether or not he'll play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be co-hosted by Mexico, USA and Canada.

Speaking during an interview with NBC News that aired Monday, October 27, the 8-time Ballon d'Or winner said,

"Well, the truth is that yes, it's something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup," Messi said in an interview. "And I would like to be there. To feel well and to be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there”.

While he expressed his desire to represent his country at the global level, he stressed his unflinching commitment to Argentina but noted that his final decision will depend largely on how he feels physically and whether he remains fit enough to compete at the highest level.

"I am going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%. I'm really eager because it's the World Cup. We're coming off winning the last World Cup, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it's always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions, so hopefully God will allow me to do it once again."

Messi noted that his fitness is a major concern and determining factor in making a final decision to feature in the Argentina squad because he is not at his best when he is not fit during games.

"...we'll see. I'm trying to feel good and, above all, be honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it, but when I don't, honestly, I don't have a good time, so I prefer not to be there if I don't feel good," Messi said after a World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela in September.

The Inter Miami captain has formed an integral part of the team's success throughout the 2025 campaign, featuring in MLS, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup and Club World Cup action. He recently clinched the 2025 MLS Golden Boot after recording 29 goals in 28 regular-season games, earning the accolade for the first time since he joined Miami in 2023.

He's also a finalist for the 2025 MLS MVP trophy for his contributions to Inter Miami. Should he win the MVP award, Messi would become the first player to win the trophy in two consecutive seasons.

Messi just extended his contract with Inter Miami, signing a new three-year deal through the end of the 2028 MLS season.

"I've always said that I'll base my decision [about playing] on how I feel day to day and how I feel physically and mentally to continue playing and to continue being part of this club," Messi told NBC on Monday. "Honestly, I felt really good during the year. I'm happy living in Miami, as is my family, and honestly, the decision was easy."

Inter Miami currently prepares to face Nashville SC on Saturday in the second game of the best-of-three round one series of the playoffs. The Herons lead the series 1-0 after triumphing against Nashville at Chase Stadium with two goals from Messi and one from Tadeo Allende.