Ronaldo shares his prediction for Lionel Messi’s role with Argentina at the 2026 World Cup

With less than a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many teams have already booked their place. Among them is Argentina, who dream of repeating their 2022 triumph led by Lionel Messi. Now, Brazil icon Ronaldo Nazario has spoken about how he views the forward heading into the tournament.

In a recent interview with DSports, Ronaldo was asked about his expectations for Argentina at the upcoming World Cup. “Having Leo is a huge advantage over the rest of us normal people in the world,” said the former Real Madrid star with his trademark smile.

“I see him in great shape, and I think he’ll arrive at the World Cup in good form too,” Ronaldo said when asked about Messi. That comment is particularly noteworthy, considering the Argentine star just turned 38 and will turn 39 during the tournament, which will take place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada next summer.

“I was watching Messi’s games at the Club World Cup, and he’s still got it,” Nazario added. “Every time he touches the ball, something interesting happens. He always reads the game well, understands the play that needs to be made. If he loses the ball, he tries to get it back. He sprints 30 or 40 meters.”

Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario.

Ronaldo also sees Argentina in good shape

In the same interview, Ronaldo spoke not only about Messi individually, but also about the broader context of the Argentina squad. “I think the Argentina national team has a lot of quality,” he said in reference to the talent of players like Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister.

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He also praised the work of the head coach. “(Lionel) Scaloni has built a team that plays soccer with a lot of drive and commitment. A team that supports each other all the time. A very smart team that also knows how to suffer,” the former striker explained.

Ronaldo on Brazil’s current struggles

During his playing career in the 1990s and 2000s, Ronaldo Nazario enjoyed a golden era with the Brazil national team, winning two World Cups (1994 and 2002) and two Copa America titles (1997 and 1999). At the time, Brazil dominated South America and had a clear edge over Argentina. But that dynamic has now shifted.

In another recent appearance on the podcast Mano a Mano, Ronaldo discussed one of his biggest concerns: the development of Brazilian coaches and players. “In Serie A we have ten foreign coaches. They’re more prepared than the Brazilians,” he said bluntly. “For many years, the talents who left did so simply because they were talented—and in many cases, raw.”

To illustrate his point, the two-time world champion cited an example: “A very clear case is Vinicius Jr… He wasn’t developed the right way, because they didn’t improve his left foot, didn’t improve his technical fundamentals, his sense of time and space on the field. He only improved after leaving.”