Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both approaching what will almost certainly be their final ever World Cup tournament.
Bearing in mind that Messi first flirted with international retirement as long ago as 2016, the subtext is almost universally agreed that Qatar 2022 will be his final throw of the dice.
And while you wouldn't put it past the evergreen Ronaldo to rock up at the 2026 tournament at 41 years old, even the great man himself must surely concede that it would be a bridge too far.
Messi and Ronaldo chasing World Cup glory
As such, the stakes could hardly be higher going into the World Cup's first ever winter edition with the crowning jewel of the beautiful game playing such a key role in the wider GOAT debate.
After all, both Ronaldo and Messi are currently lacking that most sought after trophy that sits upon the mantelpieces of other GOAT contenders like Diego Maradona, Pele and Ronaldo Nazario.
And although, sure, there are many legitimate arguments as to why World Cup wins can be a little overrated, we all know well that one of either Messi or Ronaldo lifting the golden statue on December 18 would be a massive game-changer for their respective legacies.
Both Argentina and Portugal certainly have the ammunition to go all the way this winter, but turning that quality into seven world-class performances on the bounce is another thing entirely.
Ronaldo or Messi? GMS Shop
Who has the better World Cup record: Messi or Ronaldo?
However, as we wait to see how the Messi vs Ronaldo and GOAT debates might change drastically upon the arrival of this year's tournament, we can take stock of how the two legends have performed on the biggest stage of all so far.
Yes, they both have a big fat '0' in their columns for World Cup titles lifted, but we can of course still look at who's scored the most goals, who's won the most Man of the Match awards and so on.
And using the extensive data over at michelacosta.com as well as our own research, we are indeed able to unpack the minutiae of Ronaldo and Messi's key statistics at World Cup finals.
So, who - as things stand - has the better record on the biggest footballing stage of all? Well, be sure to check out all the key metrics for yourself down below and then draw your own conclusions.
Games: Lionel Messi 19-17 Cristiano Ronaldo
Wins: Lionel Messi 13-7 Cristiano Ronaldo
Goals: Cristiano Ronaldo 7-6 Lionel Messi
Hat-tricks: Cristiano Ronaldo 1-0 Lionel Messi
Soccer Football - World Cup - Group B - Portugal vs Spain - Fisht Stadium, Sochi, Russia - June 15, 2018 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Non-penalty goals: Lionel Messi 6-5 Cristiano Ronaldo
Assists: Lionel Messi 5-2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Minutes per goal: Cristiano Ronaldo 211-271 Lionel Messi
Minutes per assist: Lionel Messi 325-737 Cristiano Ronaldo
Minutes per goal contribution: Lionel Messi 148-164 Cristiano Ronaldo
Man of the Match awards: Cristiano Ronaldo 6-6 Lionel Messi
Individual tournament awards: Lionel Messi 1-0 Cristiano Ronaldo
Football - Germany v Argentina - FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 - Final - Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 13/7/14
Argentina's Lionel Messi (C) looks dejected as he receives the Golden Ball award
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew Boyers
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Messi wins... just
It's close, isn't it? It really is a testament to just how inseparable these two freaks of nature have been over the course of their careers that even their World Cup records are so closely matched.
However, if we had to pick between them, then Messi just about gets the nod for having made it all the way to a final and winning the Golden Ball award along the way.
Marry that to having almost double the amount of wins, more non-penalty goals, a superior minutes per goal contribution rate and just as many MOTM awards, and then you start to see that Messi sneaks ahead by a nose.
Football - Argentina v Bosnia-Herzegovina - FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 - Group F - Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/6/14
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team's second and his first goal
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Jed Leicester
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However, the fact that it's so close despite both superstars having already played in four tournaments apiece goes to show that it really is all to play for in Qatar this winter.
Make no mistake that whatever happens in the coming weeks and months will influence how we assess the GOAT debate forever. It's going to be something special.
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