Mourinho: 'Ronaldo and Messi probably have one last chance'

Neither Cristiano Ronaldo, 33, nor Leo Messi, 30, have managed to lift the World Cup with their respective countries, with Mourinho surmising that Russia 2018 represents their last chance to excel.

The Portuguese told Russian broadcaster 'RT': ''Everybody knows for the last decade Ronaldo and Messi are the two best players on the planet. They have tried to give the best of themselves to their countries.''

''Cristiano is a superman. He can [play at another World Cup] if he wants. But four more years at the highest level? To come back to the next World Cup I feel it will be hard.'' 

''Of course Lionel is younger and he can perfectly be in the next World Cup in four years' time. But I would also think that to play every week, I think to resist that and four years later to come to the highest level is hard.''

He added: ''They're both going to try to finish their careers with the only things they don't have.''