Udaipur, May 1, 2025: The final whistle has blown. Cristiano Ronaldo stands in the middle of the field, disappointment clear in his eyes. He waves his hand and says something. He even looks like he wanted to drink in the sky. It felt like he had made peace with fate, understanding himself.

Ronaldo is 40 years old now, but his hunger for victory remains as strong as ever. Just like the teenage Ronaldo would have been upset with a loss, the 40-year-old Ronaldo feels the same way. As he walked off the field to remove his captain's armband, any Ronaldo fan might have felt sad. He might look like an older man, but inside, he still carries the emotions of a teenager. Football is like that. Even legends must lose. They must say goodbye.

Messi's Pain Was Also Clear After Final Whistle

After the final whistle blew at Chase Stadium, Lionel Messi stood in disappointment. The sadness in the Argentine legend's eyes was easy to see. What was he looking for in the distance? Victory, perhaps. Even at 38, the pain in his eyes after a loss still looked like that of a child.

Has this hunger for winning lessened now that he’s a legend? Not at all.

A Cruel Day for Football Fans

Football can sometimes be cruel. On the same day, both Ronaldo and Messi were knocked out of their continental tournaments. Ronaldo’s exit happened late at night, and Messi’s loss came early in the morning.

Ronaldo’s Heartbreak in the AFC Champions League

Ronaldo’s club Al Nassr lost 3-2 to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League semi-final. The match was held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

In the 95th minute, Ronaldo missed a clear chance to score. He was one-on-one with the Kawasaki goalkeeper but failed to find the net. After the match, he stood on the pitch, talking to himself—clearly frustrated.

Frustration Grows for Ronaldo at Al Nassr

Since joining Al Nassr in 2022, Ronaldo has not won any major title with the club. This season has been full of disappointment as well. But Ronaldo tried to stay positive. After the match, he shared a message on X:

“Sometimes dreams have to wait. I am proud of this team and the performance.”

Messi’s Inter Miami Knocked Out Too

For fans who stayed up late or woke up early to watch Messi, it was another hard moment. At 6:30 AM, Inter Miami lost 3-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final. Miami had already lost 2-0 in the first leg, so they were knocked out with a 5-1 score on aggregate.

Jordi Alba gave Miami hope by scoring in the 9th minute after a pass from Messi. Luis Suarez finished it off. But Vancouver scored three goals in the second half to seal the win.

Messi Tried, But It Wasn’t Enough

Messi had some good chances during the match but couldn’t score. A football statistics page on X shared an interesting fact: Vancouver became the first club to win their first two matches against Lionel Messi.