Cristiano and Messi at the exit door

Two top icons of the decade can end their career in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar. Cristiano Ronaldo (37 years old) against Morocco and Lionel Messi (35 years old) against the Netherlands.

First, the fate of Messi will be known. Against the clockwork orange, the Argentine team has played seven matches, five of them in different World Cup editions and some at peak moments in the tournament. The coach Louis Van Gaal has in his hands to avenge the elimination in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. It was the last time that both teams met on a pitch. Numerically, the Netherlands has more victories head to head, but the Argentine victories are more valuable, because in the 1978 match they won their first World Cup title and eight years ago they obtained the pass to fight for the title. As for coaches, for the first time, Lionel Scaloni will face Van Gaal. The youngest coach in the competition, at 44 years old, compared to the oldest, the Dutchman, at 71.

While, the next day, the fate of Ronaldo will be known. Morocco and Portugal have met twice, both in the World Cup, and for the moment, each one has a victory. In 1986 they met in the group stage, with a 3-1 Moroccan victory. They played again in the 2018 group stage, where Portugal won with a goal from CR7.

Never has an African team managed to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. Portugal has already reached a World Cup semifinal twice. The Portuguese were semifinalists on two occasions: in England 1966, with the team led by the legendary striker Eusébio; and in Germany 2006, the edition where Cristiano Ronaldo made his World Cup debut.

Sixteen years later, Cristiano has much more experience and wants to be a semifinalist again, although it has not been confirmed that he will be fielded against Morocco. With their biggest ever star among the substitutes in the last game, Portugal put together their best performance in Qatar, beating Switzerland 6-1 in their round of 16 clash.

deportes@eleconomista.mx