The long-distance challenge between Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé continues to animate the 2026 World Cup, with the backdrop also Harry Kane and Erving HaalandAfter the recent statements of the French champion, who defined Messi as "the best together with Cristiano Ronaldo", recognizing the two as the absolute references of the last twenty years, CR7 responded in the way he knows best: on the pitch, dragging Portugal with a brace in the 5-0 victory over Cannavaro's Uzbekistan (Rafael Leao also scored) and confirming his desire to remain a protagonist even in the final phase of his extraordinary career.
With CR7's brace, the race for individual records has heated up. In terms of total goals, Messi has definitively surpassed Miroslav Klose, becoming (for now) the top scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals, thanks to his brace against Austria, while Mbappé responded with two goals against Iraq, drawing level with Klose in second place with 16 goals. Just below the podium is the Brazilian Ronaldo with 15 goals, while the Portuguese Ronaldo is stuck on 10 but can boast a record: if Messi is the only one – along with him – to have played in 6 World Cups, Cr7 is now the only one to have scored in all sixIn fact, Pulga did not score in South Africa 2010.
Numbers that tell the story of only a partial handover. Messi has rewritten history, Mbappé seems destined to chase new records, but Cristiano Ronaldo continues to reject any label of former champion. And while the debate among fans and insiders remains open, one thing is certain: CR7, Messi, and Mbappé continue to share the same dimension: that of champions capable of leaving an indelible mark on football history.
