This tournament is already going how I expected for this pair. Messi has looked generally ineffective and Ronaldo, whilst better at tournament football, has struggled to lead his team. Gives an opportunity for other players to become the star of the tournament.

It's the first game of three. Plenty more football to go.

Ronaldo is playing for quite an average Portugal side in fairness. Messi is playing for a much better side.

Yeah, I know it's early for me to write them off but when you think back to people who've dominated recent world cups like Maradona, Baggio, Zidane, Matthäus, Brazilian Ronaldo, Xavi and Iniesta, they always seemed to start tournaments well and keep going.

What would be better for Messi's legacy? Argentina to win the WC with Messi being completely shit? Or Messi scoring a hatful of goals and failing to win the WC?

I'd say the latter to be honest, a la Cruyff.

I agree. Also Platini.

OP

Don't know if you know yet but Argentina Won And Messi scored a goal to steal the win in superb style

I promise I ain't lying

Yeah but that was just one moment rather than a man of the match display. Anyway, time will prove me right or wrong.

Baggio was shut down by Phil Babb in the first game of his World Cup, Spain lost to Switzerland in their first game of 2010 and Zidane barely showed up for the groups in both of his, Messi's already got the head start on those simply by waking up for the second half yesterday.

Ghana and the USA are no great shakes. I think Ronaldo will be optimistic about notching up some goals in those 2 matches to get Portugal on 6 pts.

Indeed, Baggio was also upstaged by Ray Houghton lol.

All it takes is one moment.

it's a great question, and I believe it is currently being answered. contrary to what has now become an accepted truth, he actually played very well in South Africa, was IMO one of the best players in the tournament, and was picked out as such by FIFA's technical team. but he didn't score any goals (although he was involved in several), and "Messi is yet to "do it" on the World stage" became the narrative. on Sunday night, everyone started to question what was wrong with him after about 10 minutes without him beating 7 or 8 players, and at half-time the verdict was he looked disinterested, he's not quite right etc etc, yet everything was right with the world again once he scored.

as someone who has probably watched about 90% of his games in their entirety over the last 10 years, I think he was at the absolute height of his powers in 2009/10, but has become way more of an efficient scorer and provider since then, hence why he can score 41 goals in a down season for him. I think he'll score quite a few in this tournament, but don't necessarily think he'll be better, and yet none of that will matter because people only really judge on headline moments. if he scores more than Maradona did and Argentina don't win, it'll be interesting to see the split between those that then think he's "finally done it" at a World Cup, and those who would still consider him a failure for not winning it "single-handedly" like Maradona supposedly did. it'll be a great study in confirmation bias, I reckon.

Well I see Messi is getting a shed load of praise for his goal which is overshadowing yet another indifferent performance. Having said that his star teammates are no better. Let's see if Ronaldo can turn things around for his nation. Somehow I doubt it!!

I don't think Messi will get the golden boot, I think maybe of the French players will

You can tell the pundits are just itching to praise the guy and proclaim him to be the greatest footballer ever.

His goal today was good, but not certainly not worthy of the "one of the greatest World Cup goals of all time" tag it's already been given by some. We've seen several better goals than that in this tournament already. Still, we can't go giving mere mortal, Tim Cahill, of lowly Australia more praise than Mr. Messi can we?

What is it with pundits and their desire to completely overdo it when a big name player does anything half decent?

A moment is sometimes all that's needed.
It's the moments that people remember the most.

Maybe. Benzema is on 3 goals at the moment.

I think it's going to be Neymar's world cup. He many be able to drag this poor Brazilian side to victory.

I don't think Messi or Ronaldo will have that great of a WC - Portugal simply don't have the quality to go far in this tournament this time round and Ronaldo IMHO, is playing with quite a limited squad - and on top of that has been carrying two injuries. Messi has produced moments of individual brilliance, but has lacked an overall good performance. He too, is playing in what looks to be a dysfunctional team which looks wobbly defensively - unless Argentina's overall team play improves, I don't see Messi moments being enough in itself to win them the WC.

Personally, I think Messi playing well, irregardless of whether Argentina win the WC or not will be enough to cement his legacy. One player can get you far in this tournament, they can even get you to the finals - but it's extremely rare, if ever that a single player wins you the WC, so it is unfair to expect Messi to do everything when football is fundamentally a team sport.

I think the players who will do well in the WC and have a chance at the golden boot are Robben, Muller, Neymar, and perhaps Klose and RVP. Robben in particular has been the best player in this WC so far for me.

This. He is exceptional in a very poor Brazilian squad, if he gets injured or another yellow card, Brazil will sink.

Looks like Neymar's world cup to me. But I expect Argentina to keep improving and Messi to keep scoring.
Do the yellow cards from the group stages get carried over into the knock out rounds? I thought they didn't?

Yes, yellows are not carried over.

They carry through to the quarter finals.