Although the results of an AI artist’s prediction of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s appearance in 2042 are fascinating, they are making us feel aging.

The football legends have been engaged in a 15-year battle to determine who is the greatest of all time; in 2018, Luka Modric became the only player to challenge their 10-year Ballon d’Or reign.

Both players are still killing it in the Saudi Pro League and Major League Soccer, respectively, and it seems like they could play for a very long time if their bodies allowed it.

But time catches up with us all. Messi is currently 36 years old, while Ronaldo turned 38 in February.

It’s difficult for us to envision a world in which Ronaldo and Messi don’t play football. Retirement closes a great chapter in the sport’s history, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will no longer be involved in it.

What if they choose to come back as supervisors? In a 2019 interview, Ronaldo did allude to taking on a teaching job. ICON quoted him as saying, “I’m not ruling it out.”

However, it’s unclear what Messi intends to do with his life beyond football. Nonetheless, he has expressed interest in working as a sporting director.

Ronaldo will be 56 years old in 2042. Messi turns 54 this year. However, AI thinks they don’t look all that bad.

Messi appears to have permanently discarded his beard, and both men’s hair is beginning to grow gray. At that age, only natural.

Their respective outfits are… kind of fascinating. Messi looks better dressed in Ronaldo’s clothes, and vice versa. I mean, come on, who doesn’t see Ronaldo looking good in a black shirt with the collar popped?