After Messi, Ronaldo out of FIFA World Cup 2018

All the football fanatics around the globe would have been waiting for a face-off between two of the modern day greats, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in the quarter finals of FIFA World Cup 2018. However, both five-times Ballon D’or winners bowed out of the Russia World Cup after facing defeats in their respective round of 16 matches.

After Messi’s Argentina lost to France in a in closely fought seven goal fiesta, Uruguay defeated Ronaldo’s Portugal 2-1 to send them packing out of the World Cup.

When the football enthusiasts across the globe expected Ronaldo to take his team to the next stage after his rival Messi had failed earlier, Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani emerged the hero as his brace helped his team qualify for the Quarter-Finals where they will face a young France.

Cavani combined perfectly with his partner in crime Luis Suarez in the very seventh minute to give Uruguay an early lead. Portugal defender Pepe equalised for his team in the 55th minute but just seven minutes later, Cavani added another goal to his tally and restored the Uruguayan lead. The 62nd minute goal proved to be the last goal of the match and Ronaldo’s campaign came to an end after the defeat.

Earlier in the Argentina versus France clash, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe stole the show scoring a brace as France advanced through to the quarter finals after defeating Messi’s Argentina 4-3.

Interestingly, both Messi and Ronaldo have never scored for their country in the elimination round of a World Cup, a record both the star players will not be proud of. For 31-year-old Messi and 33-year-old Ronaldo, this may well have been their last shot at a World Cup glory.

Winners of the respective clashes, France and Uruguay will face each-other in the semi-final of FIFA World Cup 2018.