When will Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debut in the 2026 World Cup? Check it out
The wait is almost over for football fans. The two greatest protagonists of the current generation, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, already have a date set to take the field for the 2026 World Cup.
The first to debut will be Messi. Current world champion with Argentina, the number 10 faces the Algerian team next Tuesday (16), at 10pm (Brasília time), in Kansas City, in the United States. One day later, on Wednesday (17), it will be Cristiano Ronaldo's turn to lead Portugal against the Democratic Republic of Congo, at 2pm, in Houston.
The participation of the two stars attracts special attention because it could represent a historic chapter in the competition. At 38, Messi, and at 41, Cristiano, are on track to compete in the sixth World Cup of their careers, something unprecedented among outfield players.
The duo's possible last World Cup
Since the 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, the two have been present in every edition of the tournament. Now, in 2026, they expand a rivalry that has crossed clubs, national leagues, individual awards and international competitions.
The difference is that the objectives arrive at different times. Messi seeks to defend the title won by Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, crowning a trajectory already marked by the main trophy in world football.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, continues in search of a dream that has not yet been realized: winning Portugal's first World Cup.
Records that can be expanded
In addition to the collective dispute, the two arrive at the tournament with important individual marks at stake.
Messi has scored 13 goals in World Cups and could get closer to the historic record of 16 goals, held by German Miroslav Klose.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in history to score in five different editions of the World Cup. If he scores in the United States, Mexico or Canada, he will expand his record and score goals in six different World Cups.
Argentina and Portugal schedule in the group stage
After their debut against Algeria, Argentina returns to the field against Austria on June 22nd, at 2pm. The team ends its participation in the first phase against Jordan, on June 27th, at 11pm.
Portugal, in turn, faces Uzbekistan on June 23, also at 2 pm. The Portuguese team's last match in Group K will be against Colombia, on June 27th, at 8:30 pm.
See the ranking of the most valuable squads of the World Cup
Source: CNN