ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop has expressed confidence that Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi will break Cristiano Ronaldo's FIFA Club World Cup goal record during the current edition of the tournament.
Hislop, however, noted that the record may not stand for long due to the competition's newly extended format.
Messi vs Ronaldo: The Club World Cup Legacy
Both football icons have enjoyed significant success at the Club World Cup during their peak years in Europe. Messi won the tournament three times with Barcelona (2009, 2011, and 2015), scoring five goals in six matches.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, clinched the title four times—once with Manchester United (2008) and three times with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, and 2017). The Portuguese forward is currently the all-time leading goalscorer in Club World Cup history with seven goals in eight appearances.
Messi failed to add to his tally at the weekend after Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Ahly in their opening 2025 Club World Cup fixture.
Hislop's Bold Prediction
Despite Messi's goalless start to the tournament, Hislop believes there is little doubt that the Argentine superstar will surpass Ronaldo's record during the ongoing competition.
"I don't think there is any question that Lionel Messi breaks it," Hislop told ESPN.
"Given the extended format of this competition, I don't think there is any doubt that Lionel Messi breaks this record. But, I don't think those records stand for very long either because of the extended format."
The new expanded Club World Cup format provides more matches for players to accumulate goals, which could lead to more frequent record-breaking performances in the future.
Inter Miami's coach Javier Mascherano also commented on the team's opening draw against Al-Ahly, though the former Barcelona player remains optimistic about their chances in the tournament.
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