The 2026 World Cup is over. Clubs now turn their attention to a new season and the battle for silverware, while fans of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo brace for another chapter in the two legends' race for individual records.
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Between discipline and reluctance: why did Messi return to Inter Miami while Ronaldo is absent from Al-Nassr?
World Cup of the beginning and the end
Messi and Ronaldo both featured at the 2026 World Cup, a tournament widely expected to be the last of their glittering careers.
Their journeys could hardly have been more different. One crashed out early. The other went all the way.
Ronaldo was the one heading home first, beaten in the round of 16 by a single Spain goal in the second knockout round.
The Portuguese never hit his best form. He managed just two goals, both in the win over Uzbekistan, and drew a blank against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia and Spain.
Messi, by contrast, dragged Argentina all the way to the final, where they too fell to Spain, beaten by a single goal in extra time.
His individual output was superb. Eight goals and four assists made him the second-highest scorer of the tournament, and second in World Cup history behind France's Kylian Mbappé.
Between discipline and dereliction: Messi returned and Ronaldo was absent
Messi wrapped up his World Cup journey just 10 days ago, on 19 July, and was back in Inter Miami training on Wednesday.
Inter Miami's official account posted a picture of the Argentine star on his return to training. Ronaldo, meanwhile, shared a snap of himself enjoying his summer holiday on the beach.
Ronaldo bowed out of the World Cup on 6 July, 13 days before Messi and more than three weeks ago, yet he still hasn't joined Al-Nassr's camp.
Some might read this as proof that Messi is the model of commitment and discipline while Ronaldo has gone soft. That isn't true.
Why did Messi return so quickly?
Messi was forced into a swift return to Inter Miami, with the American league's competitions resuming immediately after the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Without their Argentine star, Inter Miami had to play twice. They edged Chicago 3-2 last Thursday, then beat Montreal 1-0 last Sunday.
Now Messi returns to prepare for Columbus in the early hours of next Sunday, followed by St. Louis in the Leagues Cup in the early hours of the following Thursday. The matches run all the way to the end of the American league season next December.
He had even been due to play in today's All-Star match, this Wednesday, before organisers excluded him alongside his compatriot Rodrigo De Paul after the pair reached the World Cup final with Argentina.
Why is Ronaldo absent from Al-Nassr?
Al-Nassr, by contrast, face more than two weeks without a competitive fixture. Their Saudi Roshn League campaign kicks off on 15 August against Al-Fateh.
Ronaldo wasn't the only one missing from Al-Nassr's camp. Compatriot Joao Felix joined him, along with Senegal's Sadio Mane, who exited the World Cup with his national team in the round of 32, and Abdulelah Al-Amri, despite Saudi Arabia's group-stage exit.
Saudi press reports point to new Al-Nassr boss Ange Postecoglou as the man behind the decision. The Australian handed the players extra rest after the World Cup to stave off fatigue before the new season begins.
Postecoglou stays in constant contact with the group, according to those reports. He has asked them to undergo physical tests and measurements, follow a tailored programme of moderate effort, and report the results to him daily so he can gauge their readiness.
All four are expected to link up with the camp within the next few hours, gearing up for a season in which Al-Nassr want to retain the Roshn League title and be crowned champions of the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time.
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