It will surely be their final World Cup.

Although Lionel Messi – who celebrates his 39th birthday today – and Cristiano Ronaldo – aged 41 – show no sign of letting up on the biggest stage.

Two goals from Messi against Austria on Monday took him to 18 goals at the top of the all-time World Cup goalscoring charts. Meanwhile, Ronaldo became the first player to score at six different World Cups with a double against Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

After Messi’s hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match, then a double on Monday night, the pressure was on Ronaldo.

Following a sub-par performance in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo, Ronaldo was faced with post-match criticism and rumours about a breakdown in relationships with some of his international team-mates. But he responded with his record-breaking moment.

‘I’m back’ – record-breaking Ronaldo answers critics

Six minutes into Portugal’s match with Uzbekistan, he scored in a sixth consecutive World Cup; 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026.

The other player to feature in each of those tournaments is Messi – but he failed to score in 2010.

Ronaldo’s goals against Uzbekistan ended a run of 11 World Cup matches without a goal, since the opening match of the 2022 World Cup against Ghana.

Did Ronaldo himself even have concerns about his own performance? His post-match actions – saying “I’m back” directly down the camera lens at full-time – were indicative of a player who has struggled to make the same seismic impacts he once did.

“He is a human being,” his manager Roberto Martinez said of that interaction. “He is allowed to have feelings.”

“This is what he does,” Ronaldo’s former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport. “He takes some criticism and this is how he responds.”

Over the past two decades, there have not been many moments when Ronaldo has had to climb “back” to the summit of the sport.

He is now the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history at the age of 41 years and 138 days, trailing only Cameroon legend Roger Milla (42 years and 39 days).

With his two goals on Monday, he is also the third player to hold the honour of being his country’s youngest and oldest World Cup goalscorer.

One other is Denmark’s Michael Laudrup. The other? Messi. Both Ronaldo and Messi have scored their first and last World Cup goals for their country 20 years and 11 days apart, at the time of writing.

‘I couldn’t care less about others’ – Ronaldo

“I couldn’t care less about others,” Ronaldo said in the mixed zone on Tuesday when asked about Messi’s five goals in the opening two games of the World Cup …Mbappe also scored.”

As much as the Portugal forward may say otherwise, seeing the biggest stars in world football come to the fore at this tournament would have been a source of motivation. Especially Messi.

“I believe both players have improved football over the years, and their rivalry is important for themselves to grow,” Martinez conceded.

“He wants to be the best at what he does,” Rooney said of Ronaldo’s attitude towards Messi. “So, of course, when the other top forwards are scoring goals, he wants to be top of that list. His response here is exactly what you’d expect.

“He’s selfish in the sense that he wants to be the best, but he’s a team player also. It’s incredible to watch Messi last night and Ronaldo tonight. At their age, it’s incredible what they are doing.”

Ronaldo and Messi have both had to adapt their games to stay at the top.

Since turning 35, Messi has found a new level on the international stage, scoring 12 goals in his last nine World Cup matches. That’s two more than Ronaldo’s total of 10 and would place him seventh on the all-time World Cup scoring list, level with Brazilian icon Pele.

Messi had scored just six in his first 19 games in the competition, between the ages of 18 and 34.

The turn in form has happened since leaving Barcelona. It could be argued since leaving the Catalan club, he may have prioritised playing for Argentina. Many from his country argued that he had not when competing at the top of Europe in his peak years.

Since turning 35, Ronaldo has scored eight times in 16 World Cup and European Championship matches.

Tuesday’s record will not be the last landmark moment for Ronaldo, after this World Cup campaign he will be aiming to reach 1,000 career goals. The goals against Uzbekistan took him to 975, 25 short of that total.

Neither player is the Ballon d’Or-winning sensation they once were earlier in their careers, nor are they in the public eye as much after taking on new challenges away from European football’s top five leagues. But their attempts to match one another stride for stride remain captivating.

Their rivalry could yet have a fitting conclusion at this World Cup too. Should Portugal and Argentina win their groups and progress through the knockout stages, they are on course for a quarter-final collision in Kansas City on July 11.

Then again, perhaps we’ll see them in 2030, jostling for more records. For football’s two omnipotent icons, nothing feels impossible anymore. (BBC)

•Lionel Messi, 39, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, have set new records at the World Cup

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