Cristiano Ronaldo has his reasons to praise Lamine Yamal, whose breakthrough into top-flight soccer at such a young age took everyone by surprise. The Barcelona star set the record for being the youngest player to ever play, score and win the UEFA European Championship in 2024 with Spain.

Lionel Messi returned to the pitch in September after suffering an injury during the Copa América final in July. The star player scored two goals against the Philadelphia Union for a 3-1 win. Messi is the most decorated player in the history of the world's most popular sport.

Lionel Messi has only ever asked one player to swap shirts with him during his career. Over the years, Messi has been the dominant force in world football alongside old foe Cristiano Ronaldo. Whenever a player has the chance to play against Messi, it is likely that they will ask the Argentine to swap shirts at the end of the match.

The Union's game at Inter Miami is expected to be Messi's first game back from a two-month injury absence. If the Union's teen phenom gets to meet him or play against him, it will be a big deal.

Several world-class footballers, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have faced hefty fines and legal battles over tax evasion. Accused of hiding income from image rights, these players received significant penalties but still continued their successful careers.

Approaching the final stages of their iconic careers, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are excelling in football beyond Europe. Messi is attracting massive audiences in the U.S. with Inter Miami,