The 2022 World Cup is last shot at glory for Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema
CHRIS SUTTON: One last shot at glory! For golden oldies like Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema and so many other modern greats, the 2022 World Cup will be their final act on the biggest stage – can they deliver the trophy?
- This will surely be the last World Cup for some of the biggest names in football
- Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo might never appear at the tournament again
- It might be the last one for Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric as well
- Sportsmail’s Chris Sutton looks at 10 stars having one last crack at the trophy
- Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results
The upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar will surely be the last such tournament for some of the biggest names in football.
The likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Gareth Bale might all never get another chance to hold the famous Jules Rimet trophy aloft.
Here, Sportsmail‘s CHRIS SUTTON runs the rule over 10 players who will be having one last crack at winning football’s biggest prize.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema (pictured) are among the stars hoping to lift the famous Jules Rimet trophy in what could be their last chance to do so in Qatar
Lionel Messi: Age 35, Argentina
The comparisons to Diego Maradona have been natural: for their magic, for their low centre of gravity, for their match-winning impact.
But Maradona’s last World Cup in 1994 ended in disgrace after a failed drug test. It would be more befitting a classy career like Messi’s if his last dance could result in him winning the 2022 World Cup for Argentina.
The solid-gold trophy has been the one missing from Messi’s mantelpiece. He finished as a runner-up in 2014, but that’s not enough for a winner like Messi.
The upcoming World Cup could be the final shot at glory for some of football’s biggest names just like Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo: Age 37, Portugal
Have we forgiven Ronaldo, now 37, for what happened at his first World Cup in 2006? The wink after Wayne Rooney’s red card? With time comes water under the bridge. He was 21 then, a kid on the verge of super-stardom.
This is bound to be Ronaldo’s last crack at winning the World Cup. For so long in football, you’ve either been Team Messi or Team Ronaldo. Whichever side you have fallen on, we have been blessed to watch these giants of the game do what they do.
Ronaldo has scored in every World Cup he’s played in – 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. I’d be stupefied if he doesn’t add to his tally of seven at this edition in Qatar.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in every World Cup he’s played; I’d be stunned if he doesn’t again
Luis Suarez: Age 35, Uruguay
Fun fact about Uruguay – they won the inaugural World Cup in 1930, with a one-armed man securing them a 4-2 win against Argentina in the final. Hector Castro – aka ‘El Divino Manco’ (The One-Armed God) – scored twice at that tournament.
If Suarez can do the same in Qatar, he will become Uruguay’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, overtaking Oscar Miguez.
From the handball against Ghana in 2010, to biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in 2014, to marking his 100th cap with a winner against Saudi Arabia to send Uruguay into the 2018 World Cup’s knockout stages, it’s been quite the trip. Now for one last ride.
Striker Luis Suarez will become Uruguay’s all-time leading World Cup scorer if he nets twice
Robert Lewandowski: Age 34, Poland
Lewandowski’s childhood idol was Roberto Baggio. As a six-year-old, this kid from Warsaw watched as the Italy striker tore up the 1994 World Cup, hoping to do that himself someday.
Unfortunately, Poland haven’t always made it to this tournament. They made it the 2018 edition thanks to Lewandowski’s 16 goals in qualifying. Now they’ve made it again thanks to his nine goals in qualifying.
This is Lewandowski’s last chance at mimicking Baggio. Poland will need him to do so if they are to reach the knockouts for the first time since 1986.
It’s Poland star Robert Lewandowski’s last chance at mimicking childhood idol Roberto Baggio
Luka Modric: Age 37, Croatia
Here we have the winner of the 2018 World Cup’s Golden Ball. It is usually an out-and-out attacker who is named the tournament’s top performer but Modric deserved that recognition, even if Croatia could not quite win the trophy in Russia.
It was not only his performances in midfield which made him a worthy winner of that individual accolade, it was his leadership as Croatia’s captain.
We’ve seen some timeless midfielders grace the game. Modric is right up there, belonging to the same exclusive club as Xavi and Andrea Pirlo. This is set to be his last hurrah.
Luka Modric is a timeless midfielder who has graced the game – this is set to be his final hurrah
Gareth Bale: Age 33, Wales
Wales, golf, Madrid, in that order. Bale loves representing his country more than anything. The 33-year-old is set for his first and last World Cup in a Wales shirt, barring some remarkable push to play in 2026.
It’s been a pleasure to watch him play for his country.
Some of his greatest moments have come for Wales – marking his 50th cap with a winning goal against Belgium, the run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, breaking Ian Rush’s record to become their all-time top scorer and qualifying for 2022 to end 64 years of hurt.
Bale is Wales’ highest-ever achiever.
Gareth Bale is Wales’ highest ever achiever and will play in his first and probably last World Cup
Karim Benzema: Age 34, France
Video montages of Benzema’s best World Cup moments are short because he wasn’t with the France squad in 2018 when they became world champions, owing to an off-the-field scandal.
But he’s no longer an outcast. He is back and is set to surpass 100 caps for his country at this World Cup.
Benzema can be an X-factor for any team and he is looking to make up for lost time. At 34 and close to retirement, how he would love to lift the famous golden trophy.
Thomas Muller: Age 33, Germany
Look at the list of all-time World Cup goal-scorers and you’ll see Germany’s Miroslav Klose at the top on 16. Once you’ve scrolled past Brazil’s Ronaldo and England’s Gary Lineker and all the other retirees, you will find Muller on 10.
He’s the leader of all the active players, one of the few of Germany’s golden generation still going.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and all the other outfield players who beat England 4-1 at the 2010 World Cup have retired from international football but not Muller. He’s given so much to Germany. Now for one last go.
Germany’s Thomas Muller (above) is the highest World Cup goalscorer among active players
Sergio Busquets: Age 34, Spain
Defensive players don’t get the greatest recognition. In a game that values goals, those who try to stop them can be overlooked. But Busquets will go down as one of the greatest-ever defensive midfielders.
He won his first World Cup in 2010, starting every game for Spain. If Luis Enrique opts for a midfield three at the 2022 edition, Busquets may be flanked by 18-year-old Gavi on his right and 19-year-old Pedri on his left.
That will probably make him feel like a golden oldie, but Busquets has been there, done it, won the World Cup and deserves his due.
Spain defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets (right) has been there, done it, and is owed his due
Angel di Maria: Age 34, Argentina
On October 11, Di Maria was in tears when an injured hamstring meant he had to be substituted in Juventus’s Champions League defeat at Maccabi Haifa. He clearly feared his World Cup was over.
It may have brought back memories of missing the 2014 final against Germany due to a thigh tear. But thankfully, the 34-year-old Argentine has overcome his latest injury to make it to Qatar.
It’s set to be his fourth and final World Cup and, like his compatriot Messi, he will surely want to make it one to remember.
It will be Argentina’s Angel di Maria’s last World Cup and he’ll want it to be one to remember
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