"Everyone would stop to watch" - Pundit claims a World Cup final involving Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would be like 'the last Marvel movie'

Former Manchester United defender-turned-pundit Patrice Evra believes a World Cup final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal would be one that the whole world would stop to watch.

Despite being in the twilight of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo are still going strong at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, respectively. The former added the ultimate feather to his cap after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022. The latter, on the other hand, is yet to take Portugal to a World Cup final.

The next edition of the Mundial will kick off next summer, and the pair seem to be gearing up to make what could possibly be their last appearance in football’s biggest competition.

In an exclusive interview with Stake.com, Evra was asked if a World Cup final between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would be their ultimate finale to their legendary rivalry, to which he responded:

“That would be like the last Marvel movie. Everyone would stop to watch.”

When asked if he would like to see Ronaldo move to the MLS to play against Messi, he replied:

“Of course! Two legends, one last dance, everyone would watch.”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are considered two of the greatest players to have played the sport. They both hold the record for the most Ballon d’Or wins, sharing it 13 times between them.

“We deserve a lot of credit for staying at the top for so long” – Lionel Messi on his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo

While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have shared a protracted rivalry on the pitch, both have mutual respect for each other off it. To date, the duo has shared the pitch only as opponents, with their rivalry reaching its peak during their time in LaLiga.

In an interview with France Football in May, Messi reflected on his rivalry with Ronaldo, saying they both pushed each other and also highlighted their dominance in the sport.

“It's always been a great battle, in sporting terms,” Messi said. “I think we've fed off each other with this rivalry because we're both great competitors. He too always wanted to win everything all the time. It was a golden era for us and for every football fan.

“We deserve a lot of credit for staying at the top for so long. Because, as they say, it's easy to get there, what's difficult is to stay there. We stayed at the top for 10-15 years, I don't know. It was spectacular and remains a great memory for everyone.”

Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Ronaldo has won the individual accolade five times - three fewer than the Argentine icon.