Legends who might retire after the World Cup

Legends who might retire after the World Cup

This World Cup is likely to see some legends of the game call it quits, at least as far as international football is concerned. Here are some men set to bow out at the top.

Lionel Messi

At 35 years old, this will almost certainly be Messi’s last World Cup. In fact, he has retired from international football before, only to be coaxed back, but there are only so many times he can be asked to carry the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders.

He has also found the net 3 times for Argentina in this tournament, and they will be fervently hoping he has one last great campaign left in his legs.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Messi’s great rival for much of the past decade and more is even older at the age of 37, and he has already set one record this World Cup by becoming the first man to score in five World Cups. But, despite remaining in fine physical shape, Father Time is beginning to catch up with him, and he has yet to complete 90 minutes in either of the games that he has played in Qatar so far, being benched in their last match against Switzerland.

Luka Modrić

In an era when the Ballon d’Or was dominated by Messi and Ronaldo, one man to break their hegemony was Luka Modrić for his performance with Croatia in the last World Cup and for his continued excellence with Real Madrid.

But like Ronaldo, he is now 37, and he will be realistic enough to know that his days at the top are now limited.

Robert Lewandowski

After failing to score in his previous four World Cups and missing a penalty in their first game against Mexico, Polish striker Lewandowski got a personal monkey off his back by scoring in their second group game against Saudi Arabia. At 34, he knows he is unlikely to feature at the next World Cup in 2026, leaving Poland with the difficult task of trying to replace his goals.

Luis Suárez

Suárez has had a chequered World Cup history. In 2010 his handball off the line prevented Ghana from becoming the first African team to reach a semi-final, and, four years later, he earned a four-month suspension from football after he was caught on camera biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.

The 35-year-old has been sharing striking duties for Uruguay at this World Cup with another veteran Edinson Cavani, but this will be the last World Cup for the pair.

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva, who is 38 years old, is one of the oldest outfield players in Qatar this year. He continues to defy his age by being the best defender for both Brazil and Chelsea, but all good things must come to an end.

Lifting the trophy in Qatar could be an ideal way to bring down the curtain on his international career.

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Karim Benzema

This year’s Ballon d’Or winner Benzema did not even make the plane to Qatar due to an injury sustained while training for the World Cup. And that is a shame for the 34-year-old Real Madrid striker, who missed out on being part of the winning team in Moscow in 2018 because of his involvement in an off-the-pitch incident. He knows that his last chance of success in the biggest tournament of them all has almost certainly gone.