Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have defined football for nearly two decades, but their international careers reveal a striking difference.

Argentina built a team around Messi that thrives on collective sacrifice, while Portugal have repeatedly struggled to balance Ronaldo’s influence with the needs of the squad.

Both countries boast generations of exceptional players, yet Argentina’s unity has delivered major international trophies, while Portugal have faced persistent questions about accommodating their greatest star.

Boy from Rosario

For years, Messi struggled under comparisons with Diego Maradona. After leaving Rosario for Barcelona at 13, he faced relentless pressure to reproduce his club success with Argentina.

Consecutive Copa America final defeats in 2015 and 2016 intensified criticism. Messi briefly retired from international football after the latter loss, prompting doubts about his connection with the national team.

Unlike Maradona, Messi was quiet and reserved, leading critics to question his leadership qualities.

That perception changed when Argentina won the 2021 Copa America, defeating Brazil 1-0 at the Maracana to end a 28-year wait for a major senior men’s international trophy.

Under coach Lionel Scaloni, Argentina had developed a team that no longer depended entirely on Messi to produce every decisive moment.

The transformation became clearer at the 2022 World Cup. During the quarterfinal against the Netherlands, Messi celebrated his penalty by cupping his ears toward the Dutch bench, responding to comments from coach Louis van Gaal.

After Argentina advanced on penalties following a 2-2 draw, Messi interrupted a television interview to confront Dutch striker Wout Weghorst, delivering the now-famous line, “¿Qué mirás, bobo?”

The moment revealed Messi’s willingness to defend his teammates. His leadership was not about being the loudest voice in the dressing room, but earning trust and showing his teammates he would stand up for them.

Argentina eventually defeated France in a dramatic final, allowing Messi to lift the World Cup.

Team around trust

Argentina’s success was no accident. Since taking charge in 2018, Scaloni has built a team based on collective responsibility, introducing younger players who grew up idolizing Messi.

Rather than assembling admirers around their captain, he gave them defined roles that allowed the team to function cohesively.

Rodrigo De Paul became one of Messi’s closest allies. Frequently described as his bodyguard, the midfielder combines relentless running with a willingness to confront opponents who target his captain.

Emiliano Martinez provides confidence and competitive intensity, while Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez have helped establish a generation willing to work for Messi.

Their contributions go beyond admiration. De Paul’s defensive work allows Messi to conserve energy, Mac Allister helps maintain balance, and Alvarez’s movement creates space for his captain.

Argentina’s unity reflects a simple principle: Messi does not have to carry the team alone because everyone understands their responsibilities.

Ronaldo’s leadership presents a different challenge

Ronaldo’s career has been built on ambition, discipline and extraordinary self-belief. Those qualities made him one of football’s greatest players, but his later international years have raised questions about how Portugal should accommodate him.

For years, Ronaldo was portrayed as the outspoken leader, while Messi was considered too quiet to inspire his country.

Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph appeared to support that argument. Ronaldo helped lead his country to its first major international title, encouraging teammates from the sidelines after injury forced him off during the final against France.

Argentina, meanwhile, were still struggling to win a major trophy with Messi.

Over time, however, the narrative changed. Argentina developed a successful system around Messi, while Portugal struggled to establish an attacking structure that maximized Ronaldo’s strengths without limiting the team’s collective play.

The challenge became particularly visible at the 2022 World Cup. Before the tournament, Ronaldo gave an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, criticizing Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag. The interview led to the termination of his contract and ensured controversy followed him into Portugal’s preparations.

Portugal’s performances intensified the debate. Coach Fernando Santos dropped Ronaldo for the round-of-16 match against Switzerland, and Portugal responded with a commanding 6-1 victory. Goncalo Ramos scored a hat trick, demonstrating the team’s attacking potential without Ronaldo starting.

The result did not prove Ronaldo was responsible for Portugal’s difficulties, but it raised legitimate questions about tactical flexibility.

Even when Portugal succeeded, discussion frequently returned to Ronaldo’s role rather than the collective performance.

Euro 2024’s emotional pressure

The debate continued at Euro 2024, when Ronaldo missed a penalty against Slovenia in extra time during Portugal’s round-of-16 match. He broke down in tears, and his teammates gathered around him.

Portugal eventually advanced after winning the shootout, with goalkeeper Diogo Costa saving all three Slovenian attempts.

There was nothing wrong with Ronaldo’s emotional reaction. Missing a decisive penalty can be devastating, especially for a player accustomed to extraordinary standards.

Yet the episode illustrated how Ronaldo’s individual struggles could dominate Portugal’s narrative, even when other players delivered decisive contributions.

The issue is not that Portugal’s players lack affection for their captain. Their response demonstrated genuine solidarity. The question is whether that relationship can coexist with the freedom to build a team around several leaders rather than one dominant figure.

Bigger than the system

Ronaldo’s club career has also featured public conflicts over his role.

After Real Madrid won the Champions League in 2018, he cast uncertainty over his future during the celebrations before eventually joining Juventus. His time in Italy ended with another high-profile departure, while his second Manchester United spell collapsed after he refused to enter as a substitute against Tottenham in 2022.

His subsequent interview with Morgan intensified the dispute with Ten Hag, leading to his departure from Old Trafford.

These episodes illustrate the difficulty of balancing a superstar’s ambitions with a team’s tactical requirements. Coaches must consider pressing, movement, defensive responsibilities and opportunities for younger players.

As a player ages, a team cannot build its future entirely around what he once offered.

Argentina have managed a similar challenge by allowing Messi to concentrate on his greatest strengths while teammates handle much of the defensive work. Portugal have faced greater scrutiny over whether their decisions prioritize collective performance or preserve Ronaldo’s central role.

Neither player’s legacy can be reduced to a simplistic comparison between a team player and a selfish superstar. Ronaldo helped Portugal win Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League, while Messi’s success reflects Scaloni’s tactical organization and his teammates’ quality.

Ultimately, Argentina made their superstar part of a collective mission. Portugal’s challenge has been ensuring Ronaldo’s extraordinary legacy does not overshadow the needs of the team around him.

Rıza Kayaalp is preparing for another world championship with a bigger prize still in sight.

The 36-year-old Turkish Greco-Roman wrestler is targeting a sixth world title at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, while keeping his ultimate goal firmly fixed on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Kayaalp, a five-time world and 13-time European champion, is currently training with Türkiye’s Greco-Roman national team at a high-altitude camp in Erzurum ahead of the Oct. 24-Nov. 1 world championships.

The team has been combining indoor sessions at its hotel with walks on Mount Palandöken as it looks to sharpen its conditioning before heading to Astana.

For Kayaalp, the Erzurum camp is also part of a carefully measured plan to extend his career to Los Angeles.

“This is the first time we are holding our final camp at such a high altitude,” Kayaalp said. “We think it will be good for us. I am sure I will get the benefit of the high altitude. If it works well, perhaps we will come here for the championships leading up to 2028 and maybe even the 2028 Olympics.”

Kayaalp has already built one of the most decorated careers in European wrestling. His 13 European titles moved him past Russian great Aleksandr Karelin’s record, while his five world championships have established him among the sport’s elite.

Yet one major prize remains missing from his collection: an Olympic gold medal.

Kayaalp has won three Olympic medals during his career, but he has never stood on the top step of the podium. He hopes to change that in Los Angeles.

Before then, he plans to compete at two more world championships and two European championships, using those tournaments to maintain his competitive sharpness and stay in peak condition for his final Olympic campaign.

“The Olympics are my most important goal,” Kayaalp said. “There are two years until the Olympics, and before then there are two world championships and two European championships. Of course, the goal is to win those championships as well, but my biggest goal is the Olympics.”

Kayaalp also dismissed the idea that financial rewards have been the driving force behind his lengthy career.

“If we were doing this for money, we would do something else and try to invest what we earned,” he said. “Our goal was to win medals and break records in Europe and the world. The only medal I have not won is the Olympic gold. That is my goal.”

The veteran wrestler acknowledged the demands of continuing at the highest level at his age, particularly after already achieving so much.

“It is not easy to endure all these difficulties at this age when you have already achieved so many things,” he said. “We have a debt of loyalty to our country. It is our duty to repay it.”

Kayaalp said Türkiye supported him from his early days in wrestling and helped develop him into an international champion, giving him another reason to continue competing despite the physical demands of the sport.

“We have a state that took us from the village and raised us,” he said. “That is why our goal is always to give back for as long as we are physically able. We are continuing to achieve that.”

His immediate focus, however, is Astana.

Kayaalp wants to remain competitive through the championships leading up to Los Angeles, with every tournament serving a broader purpose as he attempts to preserve his strength, fitness and experience for one final Olympic push.

“I need to stay fit and strong until I get there,” he said. “Whatever needs to be done in terms of training, I will do it. God willing, perhaps it will happen later, but maybe that is a lesson to be grateful. We should ask, work and believe. With God’s help, why can’t it happen?”

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The Australian Open will bring back its wildly unpredictable 1 Point Slam in 2027, with Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner among the stars confirmed to compete in the one-point, sudden-death tournament.

The event will return to Melbourne Park on Jan. 13, ahead of the Australian Open, after its headline-making debut in 2026 gave amateur players a rare chance to share the court with some of the biggest names in tennis.

The format is deliberately simple. Every match consists of a single point, with the winner advancing and the loser immediately eliminated. Professionals, amateurs and celebrity wildcards compete in the same knockout field, meaning one serve, return or mistake can decide a player’s entire tournament.

The concept produced one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 Australian tennis season when Sydney amateur Jordan Smith won the inaugural edition in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena.

Smith, who qualified through the grassroots pathway as New South Wales state champion, defeated several established professionals on his way to the title, including Sinner and Amanda Anisimova, before beating Taiwan’s Joanna Garland in the final to claim the A$1 million prize.

His unexpected run illustrated the appeal of the format, giving club-level players the opportunity to face elite professionals while putting a significant prize and the spotlight of a Grand Slam crowd on the line.

Tennis Australia Chief Tennis Officer Tom Larner said the event was designed to bring elite and grassroots tennis together.

“It creates an opportunity for grassroots tennis players to share the spotlight with some of the biggest names in the game,” Larner said.

“Having stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner locked in to play, alongside everyday Australians … captures exactly what this event is about, bringing people together through tennis.”

The amateur field for 2027 will again feature eight state and territory championship winners, with eight additional players earning places through qualifying events held across Australia. Community competitions and club events will provide pathways into the tournament, with more qualifying opportunities scheduled during Australian Open Opening Week.

The format will again put men and women in the same draw, adding another layer of unpredictability to a competition where traditional rankings and experience can quickly become irrelevant.

A game of rock-paper-scissors typically determines who serves and who receives, before the players have just one point to settle the contest.

That simplicity is central to the event’s appeal. A world-class player can be eliminated by a perfectly timed return, while an amateur can seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with a single winning point.

The 2027 final will be played at Rod Laver Arena, with the winner again taking home the A$1 million prize and the tournament’s distinctive trophy made from Australian silver.

The 1 Point Slam will form part of an expanded Australian Open festival that begins Jan. 11, with the main draw getting underway Jan. 17 and the tournament running through Jan. 31.

More than 1.3 million fans attended the 2026 Australian Open, setting a record for the tournament, and organizers are planning further upgrades for 2027. Those changes include increased viewing capacity, additional seating, expanded shaded areas and a larger Grand Slam Oval designed to accommodate more fans across the Melbourne Park precinct.

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The International Olympic Committee has set a timetable for selecting the host of the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with seven national Olympic committees currently engaged in the process.

Türkiye, Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Korea and South Africa are in the IOC’s Continuous Dialogue phase, the first stage of a revamped selection process designed to provide greater technical scrutiny, financial oversight and support before a host is chosen.

The IOC said Oct. 31 will be the deadline for any additional interested parties to enter the race. The seven current candidates will then present their projects virtually to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November.

The process is part of reforms approved by the IOC Executive Board and endorsed by the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne in June.

The changes, introduced under the IOC’s “Fit for the Future” reforms, add a Strategic Dialogue stage between the existing Continuous Dialogue and Targeted Dialogue phases.

The IOC said the revised approach is intended to improve transparency, control costs, assess the feasibility of projects at an earlier stage and ensure that proposed Games fit into the long-term development plans of host regions.

The IOC Executive Board is expected to announce the shortlist in March 2027, when the successful candidates will advance into the Strategic Dialogue phase.

Candidates reaching that stage will have to provide initial legal and financial guarantees and respond to the IOC’s Future Host Questionnaire. The Future Host Commission will also conduct site visits to the proposed host regions before preparing its assessment for the Executive Board.

Projects will be judged on several technical criteria, including venue plans, athlete experience, financing, political and public support, organizational capacity and the long-term legacy for host communities.

The IOC will also consider the overall feasibility of each proposal, including cost control and how closely the Games align with broader regional development plans.

The Strategic Dialogue is expected to continue through much of 2028. By the end of that year, the Executive Board will invite a smaller number of candidates to enter the Targeted Dialogue phase.

Those candidates will be required to submit final responses to the IOC questionnaire and provide comprehensive legal, financial and other guarantees covering areas such as venue use and Games delivery.

The Future Host Commission will then submit a final report, allowing the Executive Board to determine which preferred host or hosts should be presented to IOC members for a vote.

The 2036 host is expected to be elected at an IOC Session in the middle of 2029, roughly seven years before the Games.

The seven candidates represent a diverse field, with several bringing previous experience of hosting major international sporting events.

Türkiye’s bid is closely associated with Istanbul, which has made several unsuccessful attempts to host the Olympics. Germany is expected to focus on Munich, which hosted the 1972 Summer Games, while Hungary’s proposal is centered on Budapest.

India’s interest is led by Ahmedabad, which is scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. India has never hosted an Olympic Games.

Qatar’s proposal is centered on Doha, which hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is scheduled to host the Asian Games in 2030. A successful bid would make Qatar the first Muslim-majority country to host the Summer Olympics.

South Korea is considering a proposal involving Seoul, host of the 1988 Olympics, potentially alongside other regions. The country also hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

South Africa is seeking to bring the Summer Olympics to Africa for the first time in the modern era. Cities including Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg have previously been discussed as possible hosts. South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The IOC’s new system is designed to gradually narrow the field, moving candidates from exploratory discussions to increasingly detailed assessments before the final vote.

The next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032. The 2036 Games will therefore be the next edition whose host remains undecided.

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Tennis great Novak Djokovic credited his “never-die spirit” for carrying him to the 102nd title of his career Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired injured during their China Open final.

The victory extended Djokovic’s perfect record in Beijing to 34-0 and secured his seventh China Open title, his first at the tournament since 2015.

The 39-year-old Serbian said his success over more than two decades at the top of professional tennis has been built on his “grit and dedication” and the relentless mentality that has kept him fighting through difficult moments.

“The kind of never-die spirit that really is always with me” has been a defining part of his career, Djokovic said after the match.

He also described tennis as a “quite cruel sport,” with players facing elimination in knockout tournaments throughout the year while carrying the pressure of performing in front of demanding crowds.

That combination of high stakes and constant competition, Djokovic said, makes tennis “so demanding and so special.”

“You can feel so much weight on your shoulders, but it is what I have been destined to do,” he said.

In front of a packed stadium, Djokovic won the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-3) and was down a game in the second set when the Australian ended the match early.

“I always want to visualize myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing,” Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony.

“But I was also quite aware that reality is a little bit different these days,” he said, adding that it had been a challenging year with “physical and health issues.”

“I was just trying to find the good feeling on the court,” he said.

The first set was a physical battle that lasted more than an hour, and both men needed medical timeouts before the second.

De Minaur, the No. 9 player in the world, won the first game of the second set before retiring because of a left adductor strain.

The 27-year-old returned to the court after his medical timeout with a white wrap around his left thigh.

“I don’t feel great,” de Minaur told the crowd afterward.

“I want to say sorry to the amazing fans that came to watch … I didn’t want to finish like this.”

De Minaur advanced to the final after his opponent, Hubert Hurkacz, retired injured from their semifinal Monday, while Djokovic advanced when Daniil Medvedev was disqualified for hitting a fan with a ball.

But Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, put on a valiant show to lift the trophy, ousting top seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals after defeating home hope Bu Yunchaokete in a demanding three-set match.

The victory means Djokovic will end the season with at least one title for the 21st consecutive year and become the oldest man to win a singles final since Ken Rosewall in Hong Kong in 1977 at age 43.

‘Really grateful’

In the women’s draw, Karolina Muchova beat former No. 1 Naomi Osaka on her ninth match point to reach the quarterfinals, prevailing in a tense tiebreaker.

Muchova, the No. 7 seed, overcame 50 unforced errors across the two-hour, 52-minute match to beat Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7).

Osaka, who represents Japan, saved eight match points but could not get past Muchova’s match-winning volley.

“I was shaking. I’m happy I made the last volley … Naomi could be standing here. It’s me, and I’m really grateful for it,” the 30-year-old Czech player told the crowd.

She next faces compatriot Nikola Bartunkova.

Earlier, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva beat Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-2 to book her quarterfinal spot against fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Alexandrova, ranked No. 28, upset Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-2, ending the Czech player’s bid to return to the Beijing final that she reached last year.

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Former and current teammates, along with tearful fans gathered outside Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium, paid emotional tribute to Argentine great Lionel Messi on Tuesday as the country prepared to bid farewell to its captain in his final international appearance.

Brazil star Neymar, Messi’s former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain teammate and longtime friend, said the entire world should be grateful for everything the Argentine has given to football.

“It’s not only Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you have done for football,” Neymar wrote on Instagram, hours before Messi was due to play his 208th and final match for Argentina against Benin.

“Thank you for making me love football even more. It was an honor for me to have played against you and even more so to make history alongside you.”

For Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s close friend and Argentina teammate who also plays alongside him at Inter Miami, Messi’s impact extends far beyond the football field.

“He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person. I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend,” De Paul said in a farewell message released Tuesday.

“I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous heart.”

Former Argentina teammate Angel Di Maria said it was a day nobody had wanted to come.

“Seeing him with so much happiness, and that tranquility of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy,” Di Maria said. “It will be a very special day for everyone. I thank him for life.”

Fans say goodbye

In Buenos Aires, fans flocking to the Monumental Stadium for Argentina’s friendly against Benin expressed a mixture of gratitude and sadness.

“I cried because I was able to come and see Messi in his last game, and also because of the sadness of knowing that he won’t be here anymore,” 19-year-old Jose Garracedo told Reuters TV.

“He fought for this shirt … everything that was demanded of him. He knew how to stay the course, enjoy it and keep saying that he was going to fight for this.”

For Isaias Zenas, a 27-year-old medical student, Messi’s importance extended beyond football.

“The last joys we have had as an Argentine people, we owe to him,” he said. “All the cups he brought us, with the country in a bad economic situation, people who are struggling have their refuge in football. How could we not come here at this moment to say goodbye to him?”

Messi, who helped Argentina win the World Cup and two Copa America titles, entered the game with a national-record 125 goals and 68 assists for his country.

Before the final goodbye, he offered a simple message of his own.

“I leave in peace. I gave everything.”

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