WC Countdown: Final bow for three icons - Messi, CR7 & Neymar set for World Cup swan song

Another FIFA World Cup is approaching, and apart from all of the excitement it inevitably brings, there will also be some sad and emotional moments along the way, as several football superstars and WC icons will say their farewells to the prestigious tournament.

The list of those whose appearance in the USA, Canada, and Mexico will be their last at the World Cup is quite long, but this time, we'll focus only on those who stand in a league of their own.

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Midway through the previous decade, the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was at its peak, becoming one of the greatest in football history. At the same time, their attacking trios were in a constant battle, trying to outdo each other in tormenting the opposition defences.

Immortalized by the initials, there were Los Blancos' "BBC" and the Catalans' "MSN".

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The two "B's" from Santiago Bernabeu have long since left the biggest stage, as Gareth Bale retired (though his side, Wales, didn't even qualify) and Karim Benzema now plays only club football in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.

On the other hand, the "S" from Barca's "MSN" trio, Luis Suarez, said goodbye to the Uruguay jersey two years ago.

So, there are "C", "M", and "N" left, and the three of them will have their last dance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar are ready to sing their swan song in North America.

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The Portuguese and the Argentine will feature in the WC for a record sixth time, aged 41 and (almost) 39, respectively. The only man who could equal their record is the Mexican goalkeeping icon, Guillermo Ochoa, if he makes the cut and gets included in Javier Aguirre's final 26-man squad.

As for Neymar, this will be his fourth World Cup, but definitely the last one, although he's "only" 34, having received only a call-up to represent Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti.

Of the three, Messi has undoubtedly been the most successful, winning the title in 2022 and playing in the final eight years earlier.

On the other hand, Ronaldo and Neymar never progressed beyond the semi-finals, reaching this stage once each in 2006 and 2014, respectively, and finishing fourth.

Nevertheless, given that CR7 was nowhere near Portugal's key player two decades ago and considering how Brazil ended their World Cup quest in their homeland eight years later - losing to Germany 7-1 - the two still have a lot to prove. The question is: can they?

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In this sense, the pressure on them may be a bit higher than on Leo, who etched his name in the Argentinian football history in Qatar and now has nothing to lose.

In terms of goals at World Cups, Messi is the best again, with 13 in 26 appearances. Cristiano netted eight times in 22 games, while Neymar has found the net as many times in only 13 matches.

Each of them will have a nice chance to improve his scoring tally against their group stage rivals: Ronaldo against DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, Leo against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, and Neymar against Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland.

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Either way, even if they don't dominate the pitch and hit top gear, and even if their teams don't reach the final stages in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, all eyes will be on Portugal's #7 and Argentina and Brazil's #10s.

Because the upcoming World Cup will be their last dance and their ultimate opportunity to make unforgettable moments for some young generations, who haven't even been born when they began their WC journeys.

Therefore, make way for "C", "N", and "M" - it's their time to shine and, as their initials suggest, Create New Memories one last time.