When will Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo retire from professional football? | OneFootball

We’re pretty sure their final World Cup is coming up, but when will Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo bring the curtains down on their whole careers?

They once ruled the footballing world as the best players of their generation. Their legacies remain strong as two of the best players of all time. The GOAT debates are endless.

But time catches up with everyone and the end is near for Messi’s and Ronaldo’s legendary careers. The question is: how much longer do we have left to enjoy them?

Ronaldo is the older of the pair at 41. Messi turns 39 in June. Neither are playing in Europe anymore, of course, with Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League and Messi in MLS.

By the time of the 2030 World Cup, which Ronaldo’s Portugal will co-host, both will be in their mid-forties. It’s safe to assume the 2026 edition will be their last.

It could present an opportunity for either of them to go out on a high, as Messi aims for back-to-back triumphs with Argentina and Ronaldo clings onto hope of leading Portugal to their first ever World Cup title.

But fear not. At club level, both players still have time left on their contracts. Ronaldo’s deal with Al-Nassr is due to last until the end of next season. Messi, meanwhile, has a contract until December 2028 with Inter Miami.

Per some reports from when he signed his latest renewal in 2025, Ronaldo’s contract contains an option to extend into the summer of 2028 as well.

Thus, there could be another couple of years left of Messi and Ronaldo as professional footballers.

But contracts aren’t always fulfilled and many factors could influence each player’s future. We just hope injury isn’t the way either go out.

What has Messi said about retiring?

The less outspoken of the two long-time Ballon d’Or rivals, Messi hasn’t given too much away about his future.

“I know that the moment I feel that I am no longer able to perform, that I no longer enjoy or help my team-mates, I will quit,” he offered in March 2024.

“I’m very self-critical. I know when I’m good, when I’m bad, when I’m playing well, and when I’m playing badly.

“When I feel it’s time to take that step, I’ll take it without thinking about age. If I feel good, I’ll always try to keep competing because it’s what I like and what I know how to do.

“I haven’t yet thought of what I’m going to do when I retire. Today, I try to enjoy the day-to-day, the moments, without thinking about life after [football].”

What has Ronaldo said about retiring?

Ronaldo has been more vocal about the end of his career, partially because of his personality and partially because it’s probably closer.

He hinted in November that he could retire ‘soon’, before clarifying: “Soon for me means in 10 years… No, I’m joking.

“I’m really enjoying the moment right now. As you know, in football, when you reach some age, you count the months very quick.

“I feel very good in this moment. I score goals, I still feel quick and sharp. I’m enjoying my game in the national team. But of course, let’s be honest. What I mean by soon is probably one or two years.”

He has also confirmed his ongoing pursuit of reaching 1000 career goals will have an impact on when he calls it quits.

“It’s hard to continue playing, but I am motivated,” he said in December.

“My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep going.

“You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries.”

For what it’s worth, Messi could be capable of reaching 1000 goals as well, but it remains to be seen if that will have a bearing on his future.