HAMBURG: Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Kylian Mbappe.

A clash of soccer icons. A clash of generations.

They鈥檒l go head to head when Portugal play France in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals on Friday, and this heavyweight meeting might have got just that little bit bigger.

鈥淚t is, without doubt, my last European Championship,鈥� the 39-year-old Ronaldo said after his tearful, emotionally charged performance in Portugal鈥檚 penalty-shootout victory over Slovenia in the last 16.

That may have just confirmed what many were presuming anyway.

Still, there鈥檚 now a definitive specter of finality to Ronaldo鈥檚 long, headline-grabbing Euros adventure that could be brought to an end by Mbappe, the heir apparent to Ronaldo and Lionel Messi after their long-time dominance of the sport.

Mbappe grew up with pictures of Ronaldo on his bedroom wall.

A photo is inevitably doing the rounds on social media of what is apparently their first ever meeting, at Real Madrid鈥檚 training ground at Valdebebas in 2012 when a 13-year-old Mbappe stood beside Ronaldo after a visit to the Spanish club where his sporting hero was the star player.

In 2020, Mbappe posted on Twitter, now X, that Ronaldo was his 鈥渋dol.鈥�

And only a few months ago, Ronaldo reacted to Mbappe clinching a highly anticipated move to Madrid by writing on Instagram: 鈥淓xcited to see you light up the Bernabeu.鈥�

That Mbappe can now end Ronaldo鈥檚 European Championship career 鈥� who knows, it might even be his last ever major tournament 鈥� adds an intriguing subplot to a match that will be watched around the world.

鈥淟et鈥檚 go, let鈥檚 go to war,鈥� Ronaldo said of the match against France, whom he considers as the top contender at Euro 2024 along with Spain.

He said he was driven to tears against Slovenia not at the prospect of elimination but because his main motivation these days is 鈥渕aking people happy鈥� and he had a penalty saved in extra time.

鈥淚鈥檓 moved by all that football means 鈥� by the enthusiasm I have for the game, the enthusiasm for seeing my supporters, my family, the affection people have for me.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not about leaving the world of football. What else is there for me to do or win?鈥�

Ronaldo heads into Friday鈥檚 game having failed to score in eight straight matches at major tournaments 鈥� Portugal鈥檚 last four at the 2022 World Cup and its four games at Euro 2024 鈥� and with growing concerns about whether he deserves what appears to be a guaranteed spot in the team under Roberto Martinez.

Things haven鈥檛 been straightforward for Mbappe, either, at Euro 2024.

He sustained a broken nose in France鈥檚 group opener against Austria and has since been wearing a vision-limiting protective facemask during games. Mbappe has scored one goal and that was from the penalty spot against Poland 鈥� it鈥檚 the only goal scored by a France player at these Euros.

鈥淗e will have to get used to it,鈥� France coach Didier Deschamps said of Mbapp茅 and his mask, 鈥渂ecause, to protect (his nose), he will have to wear it for a few weeks 鈥� or even a few months.鈥�

Few would have predicted the top scorer at the last World Cup (Mbappe) and the record scorer in men鈥檚 international soccer (Ronaldo) to have just one goal between them heading into the quarterfinals.

But no one will be surprised if they come alive in Hamburg, with the pressure on and the occasion so big.

Mbappe, remember, scored a hat trick in the World Cup final and has been logging Ronaldo-esque scoring numbers in the first part of his career. He鈥檚 already on 48 goals for France at the age of 25, and is also on 48 goals in the Champions League from 73 appearances.

He is chasing down Ronaldo鈥檚 scoring records at both international (130) and Champions League (140) level and will likely only succeed by showing the same undimmed passion and desire as the player he used to copy as a kid.

As their countries鈥� respective captains, they鈥檒l shake hands and embrace before kickoff. You can bet they鈥檒l do the same after the match.

By that time, one of them will be on his way home.

For Mbappe, there will surely be more European Championships down the road.

For Ronaldo, this could be the end of the road.