Lionel Messi likely has one final chance to lift the only major trophy missing from his collection, but Ronaldo will not be rooting for the South Americans in Tuesday’s semifinal against Croatia.

“I’m not going to be a hypocrite and say I’ll be happy for Argentina” if they win the World Cup, said Ronaldo. “But I see football as a romantic. And I will appreciate any champion.

“Since the beginning, my prediction has always been Brazil and France in the final,” the two-time World Cup winner told media, including AFP, at a roundtable in Doha.

“Brazil are no longer there. But France, match after match, are backing up their status as favorites and I still see them as the big favorites.”

Ronaldo, who scored both goals in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany, expects France to see off surprise semifinalists Morocco on Wednesday.

“I would really like [Morocco to win], but I don’t think they will. I think France have a very solid team, whether it’s in defense, attack or midfield,” said the two-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Ronaldo has in particular been impressed by Kylian Mbappe, the Qatar tournament’s leading scorer with five goals.

“He knows how to use his skills, how to go faster than the others. And he uses them to give assists or to score,” said Ronaldo, who expected the 23-year-old Mbappe to shatter numerous records.

“He has the time, the skills, he’s thirsty and he has the talent to conquer it all, that’s for sure.”

Ronaldo paid tribute to Morocco’s performances after the Atlas Lions became the first African side as well as the first Arab team to reach a World Cup semifinal.

“It’s a great football story that an African team is in the semifinals of a World Cup,” he said. “I saw the reactions in Morocco, what football gives us is very beautiful.”

Elusive trophy

Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic believed the stars were aligned for Messi to finally capture that elusive World Cup trophy, the AC Milan forward told reporters in Dubai on Monday.

Contesting a record-equaling fifth World Cup, Messi would be looking to reach the second final of his career in the competition on Tuesday, when Argentina takes on Croatia in the last four.

The 35-year-old is very likely making his final World Cup appearance, and with the likes of Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Spain all knocked out in Qatar, Argentina looks primed to clinch soccer’s most prestigious title for the first time since 1986.

Ibrahimovic, who continues to rehabilitate his knee while joining his AC Milan teammates for a winter training camp in Dubai, heaped praise on the three other semifinalists in Doha, but assured he only saw one team walking away with the trophy.

“I think it’s already written who will win, and you know who I mean. I think Messi will lift the trophy, it’s already written,” said Ibrahimovic, who represented Sweden in two World Cups, in 2002 and 2006.

Argentina and surprise semifinalist Morocco will try to stop France and Croatia from setting up a rematch of the title decider from Russia 2018, with the Atlas Lions taking on the reigning champions on Wednesday.

Ibrahimovic described France and Croatia as “strong nations”, but believed a Messi triumph was inevitable.

Asked about Morocco, which is the first ever African or Arab team to make the final four at a World Cup, Ibrahimovic said: “I don’t think it’s a surprise, because I knew they were good before the World Cup. Then obviously in the World Cup, everything can happen.

“That they reached the semifinal, maybe a little surprised, but remember it’s a good team, a good nation. And these surprises, I think the people like. They enjoy because they want these things to happen, so they get some kind of extra adrenaline.”

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