Wesley Sneijder chooses who among Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has better chance of winning 2026 World Cup

Former Netherlands international Wesley Sneijder has backed Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to shine at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He also claimed that Lionel Messi and Argentina were lucky to lift the trophy in 2022.

Fans are gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which could be the last major international outing for both Ronaldo and Messi. The former, 40, has hinted that the upcoming Mundial should be his last. The latter, meanwhile, although yet to confirm his participation in next year's tournament, is expected to lead La Albiceleste in their title defense.

Both players are poised to set the record of becoming the only players to appear in six different World Cup editions. While Messi has revealed that winning the World Cup in 2022 brought self-satisfaction and completed his trophy cabinet, Ronaldo would be eager to land the holy grail as a perfect ending to his illustrious international career.

Speaking recently on Adventure Gamers, Sneijder, who won a World Cup runner-up medal in 2010, named Portugal as one of the favorites to win the World Cup next year, ahead of defending champions Argentina.

He said:

"Portugal have a very strong team. For me they are one of the favourites so then I would say Cristiano Ronaldo has the stronger chance of winning the next World Cup compared to Lionel Messi."

The former midfielder then claimed that Messi and Argentina were lucky World Cup winners in 2022 and named Portugal a better team.

"It was a great World Cup for Argentina in Qatar but they were a bit lucky as well. I think overall Portugal is a better team," he added.

Cristiano Ronaldo will notably not be in action for Portugal when they line up for their first match at the World Cup next year due to a match ban from a red card during the qualifiers.

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What have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi said about their participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last tournament. The 40-year-old cited his age as the reason, as he would have retired before the 2030 edition.

He told the BBC:

"Definitely, yes. I will be 41 years old and I think [this] will be the moment in the big competition."

Cristiano Ronaldo also said in an interview with Piers Morgan that winning the World Cup is not his dream, and his legacy would not be determined by whether or not he wins the tournament.

"If you ask me Cristiano is a dream to win the World Cup? No, it's not a dream." No. To define what? To define if I'm one of the best in history to win one competition, six games, seven games. You think it's fair?," Ronaldo said.

Messi, on the other hand, has conditioned his participation at next summer's World Cup to his mental and physical well-being.

"Yes, obviously yes, it is a special World Cup, it is special to play with the national team and more important, official competitions and more what a World Cup means and after having won it too," he said in an interview with SPORT (via Bein Sports).

“But a little bit what I was telling you, I don’t want to be a burden, I want to feel good physically, be sure that I can help and contribute things to the group, to the squad," Messi added.

“Our season is different from Europe. We are going to have a preseason involved, a few games until we reach the World Cup date and see on a day-to-day basis if I really feel good physically to be the way I would like to be and be able to participate," he concluded.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in the twilight of their careers, but continue to perform strongly for their respective clubs and countries.