Messi starts with a hat-trick, will Ronaldo respond this time?

The two heroes of the most talked-about duel in football history are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. These two superstars, who have ruled world football for almost two decades, are the favorite faces of the World Cup again. Both are playing their sixth World Cup.

Argentine magician Messi has already taken all the limelight. Messi started his World Cup mission with a great hat-trick against Algeria. Now football fans are waiting and speculating, will Ronaldo be able to spread the same light?

Messi gave Argentina a resounding victory by scoring three goals alone in the match against Algeria. This is his first hat-trick in the history of the World Cup. Along with this, he also set a new record. Messi is now the oldest footballer to score a hat-trick in the history of the World Cup. This record was previously held by Ronaldo.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in a memorable match against Spain in the 2018 Russia World Cup. The extraordinary feat of that 3-3 draw is still etched in the minds of football fans. Eight years later, Messi broke that record and wrote his name.

The two legends' World Cup journey began a day earlier and a day later. Argentina took the field at the Kansas Stadium on the night of June 16. Portugal's opponent was Congo D.R. at the Houston Stadium on June 17. Ronaldo will take the field in the Portugal jersey in the Group 'K' match on Wednesday at 11 pm Bangladesh time.

Naturally, there is increased interest among the fans around this match. Because this is not just a World Cup match, but also the beginning of Ronaldo's possible last World Cup. Many in the football world believe that this could be his last time chasing his biggest dream on the world stage in the country's jersey.

Messi's story has come to a close. He made up for the biggest blemish of his career by leading Argentina to the World Cup in 2022. After a long wait, he reached the highest position in football history by bringing the country the World Cup.

Ronaldo's story is different, however. He has won European supremacy, numerous club football titles, and multiple personal awards. Yet the World Cup trophy is still beyond his reach. Even though he is 41 years old, his hunger to score goals or his desire to win has not diminished.

That is why the 2026 World Cup is different for Ronaldo. It is not just another tournament, but a stage to fulfill the last big dream of his football career. As the all-time top scorer in international football and the most-matched footballer, his bag of achievements is full. But without the World Cup trophy, that story seems to be incomplete somewhere.

So Ronaldo is at the center of discussion before taking the field in the first match against Congo. The whole world is now waiting to see how the Portuguese captain responds to Messi's hat-trick that started the World Cup. The eyes of millions of football fans around the world are on tonight's match, and at the center of those eyes is only one Cristiano Ronaldo.