THE Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City doesn't automatically lend itself to the great sporting amphitheatres at this year's World Cup in US, Mexico and Canada. Just for the sheer grandeur, opulence and history, the likes of the Azteca, SoFi and the futuristic venue in Atlanta have already made headlines.
But, quietly, the Stadium in Kansas is the one that could hit the jackpot to end all jackpots at this year's quadrennial bash. In isolation, the match in prospect is not even a World Cup final.
On the Fifa website, right now, it reads: "Match 100 — Winner match 95 v Winner match 96 — Kansas City Stadium".
But the fourth quarterfinal at this year's edition may not be a normal last-eight clash. If all results hold, Argentina will play Portugal on Sunday, July 11.
Lionel Messi v. Cristiano Ronaldo.
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In November 2025, the Portuguese superstar received a red card during a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland. Because the offence — an elbow to the opponent's back — was automatically ruled as violent conduct, it was assumed that he would have had to serve a three-match ban in competitive play.
He served one of those in Portugal's last qualifier the same month. But FIFA, ever so quietly suspended the remaining two game ban for a one year period. It was to help one of the world's most recognisable faces be available to play the opening game of the World Cup.
A FIFA statement from the time said: "In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period. If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official match(es) of the Portuguese representative team."
When this statement was first made public, people neatly fell into two camps. Ronaldo is a global icon, an international treasure and FIFA were right to give him preferential treatment. Then, there was the other group. Rules are rules.
Irrespective of what camp you were in then, it just feels right that he will be there, leading his beloved football mad country into yet another finals in the search of the holy grail of the sporting world.
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Messi and Ronaldo, two of the most famous people of all time, have long stopped being footballers. They are now multiple things, entities who also happen to be (very good) footballers. Both of them have been at the White House in the last year. While the Portuguese attended a dinner there in the company of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, the Argentine and his Inter Miami squad were in the room when President Donald Trump was briefing the media on the war in Iran.
It's just what they do and who they are these days. Whether they like it or not, their circles of influence include governments and tech billionaires. Excellence gets you to the door but fame and money is the key behind opening it.
However, there's also the football part to look at. The age of Messi and the age of Ronaldo are well and truly over. There was a time when they were truly the game's best players. These days, they are battling to be the part of a dazzling support cast. But there's still something about seeing two of the most dominant athletes of 21st century coming back for one final dance
So, 20 years on from their first World Cup appearances, they are back again, in search of global glory. It is here that their story diverges. For a period of time, Ronaldo had had the upper-head in the international game. A title with Portugal at the Euros in 2016 was a significant moment. Those pictures of him celebrating with the Cup was a neat contrast to numerous Messi disappointments with Argentina's sky blue.
Over the last half-a-dozen years, though, while the Portuguese has been borderline an encumbrance, Messi has lifted his team and vice versa. Its apogee came in 2022 when the playmaker finally won the Cup after one of the greatest matches of all time.
Contained in the sentence is also the tweak the 38-year-old has made to his game to stay relevant at a time when the game has embraced systems, structure and collectivism over individualism and showmanship. Messi may be ageing and is past his prime but his work helps his national team. He's more withdrawn, there's ample space for others to sparkle and the spirit within the camp has been high. In 2022, it was geared to win it for Messi. This time, it's more to do with whether we can win it again.
With Ronaldo, who turned 41 in February, it really isn't about age. He has taken care of his body very well and led Al Nassr to the title last month. But there's always this unshakeable feeling that he makes Portugal less than the sum of their parts. In a sport which has shunned individualism, he continues to be an outlier. He demands to be the centre without doing the necessary grunt work. He doesn't press but will likely be up front, it kind of brings with it the danger that Portugal, without the ball, may be reduced to nine outfield players. In elite knockout games at the business end, no country can afford a passenger.
He can't play on the left-wing because he doesn't have the legs or the willingness to go up and down for 90 minutes. For Portugal, then, the hope is that he has one more magic moment in him to cap a career defined by magic moments.
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On the evening of June 26, Norway faces France in New York. Kylian Mbappe v. Erling Haaland. As soon as the groups were drawn last December, it became clear that this was the match that would command a lot of eyeballs because team sports love one on one confrontations. Subplots within a larger context, a battle within.
They, apart from Lamine Yamal, will undoubtedly dominate the football discourse over the next decade or so. They will be here long after this year's World Cup final. For the next 40 days or so, however, it will be all about the individuals who have bent and shaped this sport for the last 16 years. Perhaps, for the one final time after taking part in innumerable Champions League editions and five previous World Cups.
