Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 27

Croatia Faces Must-Win Ghana Test as Colombia Meets Portugal in 2-0 World Cup Start

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 27

Croatia Faces Must-Win Ghana Test as Colombia Meets Portugal in 2-0 World Cup Start

Q: With Messi and Ronaldo chasing records, whose legacy will be most defined by this final World Cup?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy is likely to be most defined by this final World Cup, because for him the tournament is still about resolving the one major gap in his career, while Lionel Messi is largely adding to an already complete case. Messi, 39, arrived in 2026 with the biggest international burden already lifted after winning the 2022 World Cup. What he is doing now is extraordinary: he has become the men’s World Cup all-time leading scorer with 18 goals and has scored all five of Argentina’s goals in their first two matches. Those feats strengthen an already settled legacy as a World Cup winner and one of the sport’s greatest players. Ronaldo’s situation is different. At 41, he is chasing not just records but validation. He has already become the first player to score in six different World Cups and is now Portugal’s top World Cup scorer with 10 goals after his two-goal performance against Uzbekistan. Those are historic achievements, but the larger issue is that he still lacks a World Cup title, the one prize that has long shaped comparisons with Messi. That is why this tournament weighs more heavily on Ronaldo’s legacy. If Portugal makes a deep run, or especially wins the title, it would radically reshape the final judgment on his career. If not, his 2026 story will still stand as a remarkable testament to longevity, but one that reinforces the sense that Messi’s résumé is more complete. Messi is polishing greatness; Ronaldo is still trying to settle the argument.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 27

Croatia enters Saturday needing a win over Ghana to avoid elimination, with a draw likely enough for Ghana to advance from the group.
Ghana arrives unbeaten and yet to concede after beating Panama and drawing with England, while Croatia is expected to shift tactics toward a more aggressive midfield approach.
Colombia and Portugal also meet in a standout matchup after Colombia opened with two wins, while Portugal followed a 1-1 draw with DR Congo by routing Uzbekistan 5-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo boosted Portugal with 2 goals in that last match, setting up a tougher test against a Colombia side that beat Uzbekistan 3-1 and DR Congo 1-0.
Elsewhere, Argentina has already secured first place in its group, leaving eliminated Jordan playing only for pride in the final group-stage game.