In a dramatic twist of fate, football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were both knocked out of their respective continental tournaments within hours of each other.
Ronaldo’s journey ended first as Al Nassr fell 3-2 to Japan’s Kawasaki in the AFC Champions League semifinal second leg, despite dominating with 75% possession and 21 shots on target. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner expressed his disappointment: “Sometimes the dream has to wait… Proud of this team and everything we gave on the field.”
Fans responded with praise and support: “Legends don’t wait, they make history,” and “Forever proud of you, GOAT.”
Meanwhile, Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup after a 3-1 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps, following a 2-0 loss in the first leg. Though Messi assisted Jordi Alba’s early goal, he failed to score for the fourth consecutive match. Teammate Luis Suárez also extended his goal drought to 10 matches.
The loss came on co-owner David Beckham’s birthday, marking the team’s third consecutive defeat—its longest losing streak since Messi joined in July 2023. Coach Mascherano admitted the team needs improvement and must learn from its mistakes.
