How Lionel Messi’s New Inter Miami Contract Affects Cristiano Ronaldo

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s career-long rivalry shows fewer signs of ending soon.

The adversaries wide considered nan top of each clip person pushed 1 different to unprecedented heights and proceed to dazzle audiences worldwide contempt their seasoned status.

Ronaldo is still toppling records successful his early 40s pinch Al Nassr and Messi’s superstardom has helped elevate nan position of Major League Soccer to loftier levels since his transportation to Inter Miami.

While they nary longer transverse paths connected nan field, nan rivalry betwixt Ronaldo and Messi still burns, pinch some signing high-profile statement extensions successful 2025. The caller announcement of Messi’s three-year hold pinch Inter Miami has promised to adhd different section to an bonzer rivalry.

But really does Messi’s latest woody impact Ronaldo and his status plans moving forward?

Ronaldo is still going beardown astatine 40 years old. / WUN SUEN/AFP/Getty Images

Messi’s three-year statement hold takes his enactment pinch Inter Miami until nan extremity of nan 2028 season, which runs until nan extremity of nan almanac year. The Argentine himself will beryllium 41 years aged by nan clip his latest woody expires pinch nan Herons, but Ronaldo will beryllium moreover older.

The Portuguese superstar tin still run an impressively precocious level, but his singular athleticism will beryllium put to nan trial by nan extremity of 2028. When Messi’s woody runs out, Ronaldo will beryllium 43 years of property and only a mates months from his 44th birthday.

Of course, location remains nan anticipation that Messi will discontinue earlier his caller statement runs its course, pinch a semipermanent wounded aliases alteration of bosom possible. However, nan Argentine should mange to support going for nan coming years fixed nan little strength of MLS compared to Europe’s apical divisions, particularly if he retires from world work pinch Argentina aft nan upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

If anybody tin compete astatine a precocious level into their mid-40s, past it’s Ronaldo. The Real Madrid and Manchester United icon has dedicated his profession to preserving his physique and, overmuch for illustration Messi, is presently testing himself against weaker guidance connected a play basis. That should thief him widen his career, but whether he tin support gait pinch Messi remains to beryllium seen.

Will Lionel Messi’s New Deal Force Cristiano Ronaldo to Keep Playing?

Messi and Ronaldo person been career-long rivals. / Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images, Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images

As things stand, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr statement expires earlier Messi’s Inter Miami deal. The Portugal world penned caller terms during nan summertime and has extended his clip pinch nan Saudi nine for different 2 seasons. His caller statement expires astatine nan extremity of nan 2026–27 campaign, by which clip he will beryllium 42 years old.

Al Nassr will want to support Ronaldo connected their books for arsenic agelong arsenic humanly possible, but moreover nan uber-competitive guardant mightiness beryllium considering ending his profession aft his latest woody expires. The 2026–27 play would beryllium his 25th successful master football, pinch fewer footballers playing astatine elder level for rather truthful long.

However, this is Ronaldo we are talking about. The 40-year-old lives and breathes football, pinch his competitory streak having been nan instauration of his astonishing career. He will loathe nan thought of Messi playing beyond him and perchance stealing his records while he’s lounging connected a sun furniture successful Madeira.

“I want to support playing for a fewer much years—not many, I person to beryllium honest,” Ronaldo admitted successful October 2025. “I’m still producing bully things, helping my nine and Portugal. So, why extremity now?

“I’m judge that erstwhile it’s over, I’ll time off emotion fulfilled, because I gave it my all. I cognize I don’t person galore much years, but I effort to bask nan fewer I person to nan fullest.”

Ronaldo’s early remains uncertain, but Messi’s Inter Miami renewal will spur him connected for nan last years of his career.