The World Cup in Qatar later this year could be the last time we see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the big stage at international level.
And, with neither having won the prestigious trophy, it could mean more to them than ever before.
After Messi inspired Argentina to Finalissima success against Italy at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, he now has an eerily similar international record to his Portuguese rival.
The Paris Saint-Germain man recorded two assists in London to help his country record a 3-0 win, meaning he has now won two international trophies within the last year.
That means he is now level with Ronaldo on international trophies, as well as both players leading the way for caps and goals for their respective nations.
Argentina's Copa America win in July 2021 was the first silverware Messi has won at international level, whilst Ronaldo won the European equivalent at Euro 2016.
The Manchester United forward was also at the heart of Portugal's Nations League win in 2019.
Ronaldo currently has 34 more international goals than Messi, having played 25 more games.
Messi has recorded 17 assists more than the ex-Real Madrid man, however.
But perhaps the most telling statistic for purely goals and assists (which certainly isn't the be-all and end-all of success) is minutes per goal contribution.
That is a metric that Ronaldo leads – by just one minute.
The two of them are almost impossible to split, but they both know that winning the World Cup on December 18 could decide who will be widely considered as the greatest of all time.