Even within the twilight of their careers, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo proceed to form the soccer dialog. This week, Messi lit up the web with a placing new pre-World Cup picture that immediately went viral — one that includes a number of legends of the sport, together with Xavi Hernandez, Paul Pogba, Toni Kroos, Kaka, and Zinedine Zidane, amongst others, however not his long-time rival, Ronaldo. The omission sparked an avalanche of hypothesis amongst followers throughout social media, as many puzzled why the Portuguese icon was neglected of an image that symbolized world soccer greatness.
The timing made it much more dramatic: with each Messi and Ronaldo making ready for what could possibly be their remaining World Cup appearances in 2026, each publish, gesture, or public look looks like one other chapter within the saga of soccer’s most iconic rivalry.
The picture that prompted the uproar was a part of a broader celebration of Messi’s legacy and his relationship with the World Cup, which many contemplate the crowning jewel of his profession. After years of heartbreak in worldwide finals, Messi’s triumph with Argentina in Qatar 2022 not solely secured his long-awaited world title but in addition, for a lot of, ended the GOAT debate as soon as and for all.
“Every bit in his assortment tells the story of when Messi went from prodigy to legend,” Spanish Marca wrote, referring to his ever-growing checklist of symbolic soccer artifacts — from his golden boots to the match ball from the 2022 World Cup remaining. That historic ball, used when Argentina defeated France on penalties at Lusail Stadium, has turn out to be one of the revered gadgets in Messi’s private archive.
Now, with the official ball of the 2026 World Cup already reserved in his assortment, the 38-year-old is signaling that his story with Argentina just isn’t fairly completed. The {photograph} that sparked a lot consideration was meant to bridge the previous and the longer term — a nostalgic tribute and a refined trace that the world might but see him on the grandest stage yet another time.
Icons by his facet — and one lacking
The picture featured a constellation of legends — Xavi Hernandez, Kaka, and Zinedine Zidane — every posing with a World Cup trophy or ball from their victorious years. Standing on the middle was Messi, holding his personal World Cup relic from 2022, flanked by those that as soon as lifted the identical prize. It was meant to be a celebration of soccer’s most illustrious champions — a symbolic passing of the torch.
However amid the glowing nostalgia, one absence stood out unmistakably: Cristiano Ronaldo. Followers flooded X (previously Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok with the identical query — “The place is Ronaldo?”
The rationale why Ronaldo was not featured
Based on Adidas, the picture is a part of a main upcoming promoting marketing campaign that will likely be unveiled earlier than the 2026 World Cup. Each determine within the {photograph}, from Zidane to Messi, shares two key traits: they’re all World Cup winners, and they’re all affiliated with Adidas.
That mixture explains all the pieces. Ronaldo, whereas one in all soccer’s best ever, has by no means gained a World Cup — and he stays one in all Nike’s most distinguished athletes. For that purpose, he was naturally excluded from the promotional shoot.
