There are no two more iconic modern footballers than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair have defined the modern game for over twenty years. On the field, each has played for some of the biggest teams in the world, and off it, they’ve revolutionised how footballers present their personal brand.
One of their surprising battlegrounds has been in the video game world. With both vying to become the global face of football, it’s no surprise that the pair have waged war to be on the cover for titles such as FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer.
This is an area where Messi has the upper hand. Not only does he have four FIFA covers to Ronaldo’s two, he has also been the exclusive face of PES. Licensing issues mean they’ve only ever shared a cover once, with the PES 2021 Season Update being the only to ever feature both.
Still, the ultimate battle for supremacy has been on the pitch. With both of their careers winding down, the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup could be the last chance each has to state their case to be considered the greatest in front of the football world.
With each star having played two games, this is who has the upper hand at the 2026 World Cup.
Messi still Argentina’s heartbeat
Reigning World Cup winners Argentina look just as good as ever, and that is all down to Messi. He’s at the centre of everything the team does, which shows up on the stat sheets.
He opened his 2026 World Cup campaign with a hat-trick against Algeria, and followed it up with a brace against Austria. This has left Messi in the hunt for the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament’s highest goalscorer, as well as a record-extending third Golden Ball for best player.
There are at least two games to go for Messi at the World Cup too, thanks to his final group game and the Round of 32. His fans will be eager to see him even more as Argentina progress and attempt to win back-to-back tournaments. Punters can back the action every step of the way as well, with Goal.com’s list of the top fast withdrawal betting sites in India ensuring any winnings can be collected quickly.
No matter how far Argentina goes in this World Cup, Messi is likely to be remembered as having an edge over Ronaldo in the tournament. He has 18 goals and counting across the six World Cups he’s played at, and lifted the trophy four years ago in Qatar. He was made the final in 2014, though Argentina were defeated by Germany.
Quite simply, no other player can claim the kind of World Cup record that Messi has.
Ronaldo gradually finding form
Cristiano Ronaldo’s fans will be quick to point out that, historically, Argentina has been a stronger team than Portugal. This is the reason Messi has the better record at the World Cup, rather than the Argentinian’s supremacy as a player.
The fans may have a point. After helping Portugal get to the semi-finals in 2006, Ronaldo’s team has only ever made it as far as the quarter-finals once. In 2014, the year Messi reached the final, Portugal didn’t even get out of the group stage. As good as Ronaldo is, he can’t do everything.
This is a major reason why, after two games at the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo has 24 appearances while Messi has 28. Through his two games at this year’s tournament, though, Ronaldo has lacked consistency.
His flat performance in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo drew significant criticism. This was exaggerated by the fact that Messi had put on a masterclass 24 hours before. Ronaldo found his form in his second game, scoring a masterful brace.
Right now, it looks like Messi has the slight upper hand, with the ultimate decider potentially coming in the quarter-finals. Should both Argentina and Portugal win their groups, and navigate the early elimination games, the two teams are destined to meet there.
This will let fans see who has the upper hand, with the two legends potentially meeting in their first competitive match since 2020, and first ever competitive international encounter.