Both are nearing the end of their football careers, but they are still global superstars. Long-time rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who thrilled fans with their battles in Europe’s biggest clubs, are now playing outside Europe. Even so, their desire to shine on the field and win trophies remains strong. But last night (Wednesday), both Messi and Ronaldo saw their dreams end as they were knocked out in the semi-finals of two different tournaments.
Even though the match was late at night and early morning in Bangladesh time, both superstars played on the same night. First, Ronaldo’s team Al-Nassr faced Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League semi-final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. They lost 3-2 and were knocked out of the tournament. Ronaldo didn’t score and missed a big chance in added time.
At 40 years old, Ronaldo is still passionate about his football career. Recently, he scored his 934th goal for the Saudi club and is chasing his dream of 1,000 goals. After the semi-final loss, Ronaldo shared his feelings on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Sometimes dreams have to wait. I’m proud of my team and our effort.”
A few hours after CR7’s tough match, his rival, Argentina’s captain Messi, played at Chase Stadium in Florida. But he also had a disappointing day. Messi’s Inter Miami was already in trouble after losing the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-final. Even though they were 2-0 down, there was still hope since the second leg was at home. However, Messi and Suarez couldn’t make a comeback, and instead, they lost the second leg 3-1.
