Gary Lineker has urged fans to "lower their expectations" of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the pair continue to age.
For so long the duo have lit up the footballing world, producing numbers never before seen as their rivalry continued to push one another one.
They have a staggering 12 Ballon d'Ors between them but both sought new challenges in the summer.
Messi, now 34, and Ronaldo, three years his senior, left Barcelona and Juventus respectively.
The Argentine moved to PSG whilst Ronaldo returned to Manchester United, but neither moves has materialised like many expected.
Messi's Paris struggles continued as he missed a crucial penalty in his side's Champions League last 16 clash with Real Madrid.
Thibaut Courtois guessed right and denied the forward when the game was still goalless. Kylian Mbappe spared his teammate's blushes with an injury time winner at the Parc des Princes.
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Meanwhile, across the English channel, Ronaldo was scoring in United's win over Brighton - ending his worst goal drought in 13 years.
Lineker has always been a huge admirer of the pair and hailed Messi in particular for the things he has been able to pull off on a football pitch.
But it seems he no longer feels they are capable of the same and believes that time is catching up with the pair, who cannot be expected to produce what they once did.
Lineker tweeted: "Messi is 35 in June. Ronaldo has just turned 37. We should probably lower our expectations.
"They still do wonderful things, but not even these footballing Gods can defy father time forever."
The debate has raged for years as to which of them ranks above the other.
Lineker has always leaned towards the current PSG star insisting he, like compatriot Diego Maradona, bought joy in a way others don't.
He previously told Marca: "They gave us happiness. There were other greats, like the two Ronaldos, for example, but I consider them more as tremendous goal scorers.
"Diego and Leo did, and do, in each game, two or three things that neither I nor almost anyone did in an entire career.
"They play a different sport. I also love Cristiano. I respect him a lot, he is a great too…
"But my honest football opinion is that there is no comparison as to who is the best because of the things that Leo does.
"That said, it even hurts me to compare them, because they are both massive."
Messi's penalty miss was his first against Los Blancos and means he ties an unwanted Champions League record.
Alongside Thierry Henry he has now fluffed five spot kicks.
"In these kinds of games you know that, as a goalkeeper, you're going to have quite a bit to do," Courtois told BT Sport.
"I'd studied Messi's penalties a lot and I tried to play with him when I was on the line. You've also got to have that little bit of luck, too."
