The Fall of The Greats

There is a time for the great one to collapse. That is what happened to the two players that are considered as two greatest football player that ever grace their foot on earth. How the mighty fallen is the word that fits the fate of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Their greatness could not helped Argentina and Portugal advanced to the quarter-final. Messi and co. stopped by France, and Ronaldo on Portugal could not defeat Uruguay.

For Messi and Argentina, There had been talk of them conjuring a repeat of 1990 when defeat by Cameroon inspired a defiant spirit that carried them to the final and, in some of their cruder challenges, it felt they might be following that template rather too closely. But the difference between then and now is that team could actually defend; this side can merely struggle. Dreams can endure only so long before they are overwhelmed by reality – and there are few realities quite so brutally uncompromising as the pace and finishing of Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice and won a penalty in France’s 4-3 win.

Whereas Portugal were knocked out of the World Cup by a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Uruguay. Ronaldo was unable to trouble Uruguay as they made it through to the quarter-final after two superb strikes from Edinson Cavani.

Although Messi and Ronaldo had suffered failure three times before, the disappointment are much bigger in this 2018 World Cup. It is because Messi and Ronaldo started entering the final period of their career. Messi, 31 years old, will be 35 years in the World Cup 2022. While Ronaldo is two years older, will step in 37 years. It is hard to see them still on the same level in the next four years.

So what's wrong with Messi and Ronaldo, so they can not perfecting their career with the World Cup trophy? The answer is because they are not destined. Sounds cliche, not weighty, unfounded. But that is it, because there will be no end if we continue to touch on the technical aspects.

However, in the end, although they were considered failed in the World Cup, Messi and Ronaldo are still two greatest football player of all time. But, like any other great player there will be the time for them to fall. And that time is getting closer.

Source: Goal