Inter Miami are OUT of the Champions Cup and winless in five amid Lionel Messi injury concerns, while Al-Nassr's title hopes fade and Cristiano Ronaldo sees red - what's going on with the legends of the game?

Lionel Messi's first full season in MLS with Inter Miami is not going as smoothly as anticipated, despite the off-season addition of his former Barcelona running mate Luis Suarez. 

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner returned for Thursday's CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final second-leg against Monterrey after missing four games with a muscle injury. 

But Messi could do little to stop his side crashing out of the competition following a 5-2 aggregate defeat. It looks to be a similar case for his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. 

Like Messi, Ronaldo has maintained his stellar individual performance but major team success is proving difficult. Al-Nassr find themselves 12 points adrift of leaders Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League and they too have been eliminated from continental cup competition. 

The late-career plight of this generation's two greatest footballers has been brought into focus and raises several questions. Perhaps above all else, what are they still doing it all for? 

From the outset, it's important to acknowledge the difference in Messi and Ronaldo's campaigns. Miami are just eight games into a 37-match regular season that culminate in play-offs which will eventually decide the champion in October. 

By contrast, the Saudi Pro League schedule and format functions like European leagues, with a campaign that runs from August to May and a victor decided by the team that accrues the most points after 34 games. 

With this in mind, Messi's current predicament is hardly a disaster and certainly recoverable. This season he has six goals and three assists in seven appearances and it has been a similarly productive start for Suarez. 

The Uruguayan became the latest former Barca star to join David Beckham's South Beach party, linking up with Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Messi. Suarez was coming off a phenomenal season in Brazil with Gremio, where he scored 26 and assisted 17 in all competitions - and was crowed Serie A Player of the Year. 

The 36-year-old has taken that form into this campaign and he boasts a record of seven goals and five assist from his first 11 appearances in the US. 

However, despite the Herons having four bonafide superstars in their ranks, they have not been immune to shock results against much less expensively assembled rosters. 

Miami have suffered two defeats to Mexican side Monterrey, draws with Colorado Rapids and New York City, as well as a 4-0 humbling at the hands of New York Red Bulls. 

Manager Gerardo Martino blamed their continental defeat on roster rules which restrict the team's ability to compete 'at the same level as Liga MX.'

'If MLS doesn't ease the various rules it has to have deeper rosters, with injuries and suspensions, Liga MX will continue to have the advantage,' the former Barcelona boss said after Thursday's defeat.

Likely many MLS teams would have reacted to those comments with a raised eyebrow - considering the degree to which Miami have deviated from convention to construct their own roster. 

Under Martino, Miami lost just one of their first 13 games, a run that saw them lift the first trophy in the club's history and reach another cup final. However, since suffering a 5-2 defeat to his former side Atlanta last season, Miami's form has been awful. 

Their record stands at five wins in 21 matches in all competitions, with nine defeats. 

A large reason for that drop off has been the injury issues Messi has struggled with since the end of the last campaign and, with an admittedly small sample size in 2024, it seems they have not reduced their dependency on the 36-year-old. 

In this regard, Ronaldo stands in stark contrast. The 39-year-old has only missed two league games for Al-Nassr since his December 2022 move and neither were due to injury. 

Since arriving in the Gulf State, he has scored 50 goals in 56 matches, while also recording 14 assists, but he team remains a long way off the league title. 

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's Saudi capture began a veteran footballer migration which reached its climax last summer but is expected to return in this. He was joined at Al-Nassr by Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte and Marcelo Brozovic, to name a few. But they of course were not the only side to add significant talent. 

To be fair to the side, their league form has been fantastic. Twenty-one wins from 27 games would normally be enough to top the standings. 

In fact, they have won seven games more than third-place Al-Ahli, who are 13 points back in the standings. Unfortunately, they have met a seemingly unbeatable opponent in the shape of Al-Hilal. 

Jorge Jesus' side have only failed to win two league games and they remain unbeaten with seven fixtures left to play. Stranger still is the fact they have managed to do this without their big-name player Neymar. 

The Brazilian featured in only three games, two wins and draw, before rupturing his Achilles while on international duty in September. In his absence, ex-Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic has stepped up with 31 goals in all competitions. 

So to has former Lyon winger Malcom, as well as Saudi star Salem Al-Dawsari. 

It's difficult to criticise Ronaldo and Co in light of their competitors' near-perfect season but, in truth, the superstar's problems have not solely been on the pitch, or rather, during play. 

On Monday evening, he lost his head in Al-Nassr's Saudi Super Cup semi-final defeat to Al-Hilal, with the veteran goalscorer appearing to elbow and stamp on an opponent - before then inexplicably raising his fist towards the referee. 

That incident came quickly after a one-match suspension and 30,000 Saudi Riyals [£6,250] fine for making an obscene gesture to fans chanting the name of Messi. It appears crowds around the world take great delight in riling up the father-of-five. 

Still, upon closer inspection it seems neither Messi nor Ronaldo is in any real turmoil. Yes, Messi's mounting muscles injuries are a cause for concern and Ronaldo at times looks to be fraying, even more than usual. 

But they are both in the last 30s - the twilight of incredible careers, and lest we forget, they are both being remunerated for their efforts extremely well. 

It was easy to assume that when they both exited European football within seven months of one another, that they would gradually fade from the consciousness. Instead, they feel more present than ever. 

In weaker leagues their loyal fans around the globe can see them perform at a rate consistent with they peaks, its a win-win. 

That being said, there is reason to believe that neither are completely done at the top-level. Ronaldo was only outscored in EURO 2024 qualifying by Romelu Lukaku and Messi is only 16 months removed from a starring World Cup display.

Both will play a key part this summer when their nations bid for success at the EUROs  and Copa America respectively. 

In the meantime, expect them to do what they've done for two decades - score lots of goals and excited lots of fans.