FIFA WC Wrap: Ronaldo, Messi On Their Way Back From Russia

Both Ronaldo and Messi have never scored in the knock out stages of a World Cup.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Argentina’s Lionel Messi after their respective Round of 16 matches on Saturday. 

(Photo: AP)

It looks like both Messi and Ronaldo have to be content without a World Cup trophy as both Argentina and Portugal bowed out of FIFA World Cup 2018 on the same day.

Argentina lost 4-3 to France in the first round of 16 match while Uruguay got the better off Ronaldo’s side in a 2-1 win in the second match of the day.

Argentine defenders had no answer for 19-year-old Mbappe as the French number 10 was faster than anybody on the pitch. A penalty from a foul on Mbappe opened the scoring for France and later he himself scored two goals to add to the misery of Argentina. It was like Mbappe could do nothing wrong on the given day. He made the side look elegant, smart, imaginative and efficient.

Mbappe scored two goals for France in the second half against Argentina. (Photo: AP)

Mbappe became the first teenager to score a brace in a World Cup match since Pele in 1958.

Messi, who found form in his last match against Nigeria, could do very little and kept his dismal record in the knock out stages of the World Cup intact of failing to score a goal even after playing over 700 minutes.

Attack wise it was the best game of the World Cup for the Argentines but sadly it came in a losing cause.

Cavani scored in back-to-back matches for Uruguay.(Photo: AP)

In the other match, Portugal failed to penetrate Uruguay’s defense – a defense which didn’t concede a single goal in the group stage. They didn’t give Ronaldo even an inch of a space and always had at least four men marking him. Ronaldo, who failed to score in the last game, found it difficult to find a position to score from as he kept on shuffling from the right to the left of the field.

Uruguay’s defense was ably supported by their attacking duo of Cavani and Suarez. Cavani scored both the goals for the South American in each of the halves.

Like Messi, Ronaldo too has never scored in the knock out stages of the World Cup and he too made sure that record stays as it is.

Now, France will face Uruguay in the quarters on Friday and it will surely be a game of equals as both side have their attack and defense sorted.

On one hand if France has an edge with its attack Uruguay will surely count on their defenders to take them further into the tournament.

The way wonder boy Mbappe played on Saturday – it would certainly be an exciting contest against Diego Godins.

(Photo: AP)

And most probably both Ronaldo and Messi played their last World Cup game on Saturday and whatever people may say in no way the elusive World Cup trophy will lower their stature as legends of the game.

It was always an honour to Ronaldo and Messi in action at the World Cup in all these years.

(For complete FIFA World Cup 2018 coverage, click here to visit our special WC page.)