Jurgen Klopp amazed by Messi and Ronaldo's performances at World Cup 2026

Former Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp revealed that he is closely following the progress of the 2026 World Cup. The experienced specialist did not hide his amazement that honorary stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still performing at a high level despite their age. According to Klopp, these two legends remain the main protagonists of the tournament. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Klopp specifically praised Cristiano Ronaldo's response to criticism. The Portuguese star managed to bounce back after a poor start to the tournament. Klopp highly valued the 41-year-old striker's brace in the match against Uzbekistan, which ended in a 5-0 victory. With this result, Ronaldo became the all-time leading goalscorer for his country in World Cup history.

"As a regular fan, this fascinates me, because they are the greatest players of the last ten to fifteen years. Cristiano Ronaldo was heavily criticized after the first game; even I noticed it. But to return with such intensity and passion at 41 is unbelievable. The fact that he still feels the sting of failure and reacts to it is commendable," says Jurgen Klopp.

On Messi's tactical genius

Klopp also noted that he watched Lionel Messi's performance against Austria (2-0) live and emphasized that the Argentine's movements on the pitch are unique. According to him, Messi's limited running is not laziness, but a result of high-level tactical precision and "scanning" the field.

"People think he's just walking, but I say he's studying the pitch. Even when the ball was elsewhere, I watched him. He measures distances, knows exactly where to stand, and when to move to the right wing or the center. In the game against Austria, he scored the first goal through skill and the second because he wanted to. If he had converted the penalty, he would have scored six goals in two games," the German coach added.

Klopp considers the opportunity to enjoy the play of this great generation a historical event. He admitted that while he met his former pupil Alexis Mac Allister, meeting Lionel Messi face-to-face was a uniquely exciting moment even for the 59-year-old experienced coach.

These events within the framework of the 2026 World Cup show that Messi and Ronaldo still remain in the elite of world football. Klopp's admission confirms that not only their physical condition, but also their mental stability and tactical knowledge are still at the highest point.