Dark day for CR7 and Messi

Wednesday, April 30 may come to be seen as a turning point in soccer history, a turning of a page from one generation to the next.

While a 17-year-old Lamine Yamal starred for Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, two GOAT candidates could not prevent their teams exiting from their respective continental competitions.

Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi left Europe years ago, moving to Al Nassr and Inter Miami, respectively. Wednesday brought disappointment as both CR7 and Messi failed to score in major defeats for their teams. Here’s how it went down...

Ronaldo misses late chance for Al Nassr

More than two years on from his move to Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s only silverware with the team is the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. The AFC Champions League is the biggest trophy in the region but Al Nassr were eliminated at the semi-final stage on Wednesday, losing to Japanese side Kawasaki.

Al Nassr were 2-3 losers in the single-legged semi-final and Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as the 2025 journey came to an end. He even had a late chance to levels the scores and push the game to extra time, but his mishit shot was heroically blocked by recovering Kawasaki defenders.

Inter Miami’s Messi bow out

Later that evening, CR7’s long-time rival suffered a similar disappointment in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the region’s version of the Champions League. Miami were taking on fellow MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps in the two-legged tie and came into Wednesday’s game with a 2-0 first leg deficit to overturn.

Things started well for the Herons with an early goal for Jordi Alba. However the in-form Whitecaps surged back in the second half, goals from Brian White, Pedro Vite and Sebastian Berhalter completing a 5-1 aggregate win at Chase Stadium.

Judging on Wednesday’s evidence, neither Ronaldo nor Messi are now able to drag their teams through knockout games, as they did so memorably for well over a decade. Time waits for no man and even two all-time greats are feeling the effects.

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