Messi, Ronaldo and the Veteran Striker Revolution at World Cup 2026
Lionel Messi is 39. Cristiano Ronaldo is 41. Neither man appears to have received the memo about slowing down, and according to analysis published by The Guardian, that should surprise nobody — because the modern elite striker relies far more on the brain than the body.
The piece argues that world-class finishing today is built on positioning, instinct and timing rather than outright pace. The best forwards, the argument goes, spend years learning how to master crowded penalty areas, and those habits accumulate rather than fade with age. That is why, in the author’s view, we may yet see both Messi and Ronaldo appear at a further World Cup beyond 2026.
Messi’s numbers in MLS have done nothing to dampen that case. He scored 29 goals in 28 regular-season games during the 2025 campaign — a remarkable return that dismisses the notion that leaving European football means a drop in quality. On the World Cup stage he has been similarly influential, with his free-kick against Jordan — described as an exercise in reading the goalkeeper before he had even moved — highlighted as a particular moment of brilliance. Argentina, alongside France, are named among the best sides in the tournament. Check our World Cup 2026 hub for the full picture on how they are progressing.
The analysis draws a broader point about how today’s elite athletes maintain their careers. Messi, Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski (thriving at 37, though absent from this tournament) and Harry Kane, 32, are all cited as players who treat recovery, nutrition and gym work as non-negotiable. Brazil legend Marta, still scoring at 40, is also mentioned. The Guardian piece puts it bluntly: previous generations of stars, referencing Diego Maradona’s well-documented lifestyle, simply did not have the same approach to their bodies.
For those tracking just how dominant the attacking play at this tournament has been, there is a bold claim in the piece: Just Fontaine’s record of 13 goals at a single World Cup, set back in 1958, is expected to fall this summer given the calibre of forwards on display. You can follow the latest live standings to see who is closest to making history.
For UK fans, the takeaway is a simple one: stop writing off older players too quickly. The science, the lifestyle and — in Messi’s case in particular — the sheer footballing intelligence suggest the era of the veteran superstar is far from over.