Why the Messi v Ronaldo ‘dream’ World Cup final could happen but absolutely won’t | OneFootball

“So what about this idea,” said a sickeningly deferential Piers Morgan, he and Cristiano Ronaldo shuffling uncomfortably in their chairs while the latter actively bit his lip in uncontained anticipation.

“You get to the final,” the interviewer/lickspittle continued. “Portugal v Argentina, you score two, Messi scores two. The last minute, 94th minute, you score a third for your hat-trick and you win the World Cup. Is that – be honest – is that the dream?”

Fair play to Ronaldo, who pretended he would be content with any other player scoring the winner before declaring the pitched scenario to be “too good” and worthy of an immediate retirement.

But four years later, through Portugal’s failings as much as anything else, it has become a live – if remarkably remote – possibility.

It never came particularly close to fruition in Qatar, the World Cup before which Morgan originally shared his and Ronaldo’s shared fantasy. Argentina and Portugal landed on opposite sides of the knock-out bracket then but Morocco cut the Hollywood storyline short in the quarters.

Portugal’s journey in the United States in 2026 will surely be ended long before another projected final with Argentina; Croatia will and absolutely should fancy their chances in the round of 32.

Though tipped as an outside pre-tournament bet to win the shiny thing, this Portugal side should hold no fear. Colombia hammered them in what commentator Steve Wilson justifiably called “one of the best 0-0 draws I have ever seen”, having twice as many shots and coming within a Davinson Sanchez toe of victory.

With that point, a quietly impressive Colombia topped Group K to set up a knock-out date with Ghana – and set themselves on a tantalising potential quarter-final collision course with Argentina.

Portugal, meanwhile, were left checking whether they would be assured of finishing ahead of Congo DR in the event of a defeat.

It would have been no less than they deserved. Portugal were roughly even competitors in a pulsating first half, but faded horribly in the second and were dominated by a fitter, faster and more cohesive outfit.

With James Rodriguez pulling the strings, Santiago Arias proving irrefutably that Colombia produce the world’s greatest attacking right-backs and Luis Suarez trying to cram as many shots as possible into a half-hour cameo, Portugal were holding on for dear life by the end.

And still there was never any suggestion Ronaldo might be taken off for a player who might actually help with pressing. He was dropped for that Morocco defeat but was always going to start against Colombia, always going to complete the full 90 minutes and always going to be exposed as a player no longer fit for purpose against opposition any better than below average.

Two goals against Uzbekistan were the equivalent of a whisper against the backdrop of the statements made by your Messis, your Mbappes and the Haalands of this world with each passing game.

That was underlined against Colombia with one trundling 40-yard free-kick, an attempted overhead kick after Camilo Vargas’ sensational save to keep out Bruno Fernandes in the first half, and a second-half one-on-one miss only made worse by the fact he had been ruled offside when unnecessarily running a good couple of yards past the last defender as Joao Felix countered.

Sanchez was ruled to have strayed only marginally offside as he tried unsuccessfully to avert Colombia’s first goalless draw in their World Cup history with a late win their performance deserved.

It being ruled out changed little: Colombia still finished top as the group’s best team by far; and the Ronaldo v Messi wet dream of a final remains a technically possible eventuality rendered inconceivable by the former’s continued awfulness.