When Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Could Play Against—or With

Boca Juniors legend Carlos Tevez is finally getting a proper farewell game after hanging up his boots in 2022, and the former forward could reportedly invite Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to take part in the show match.

Tevez enjoyed stints at Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus before he largely ended his career the same way it started—with boyhood club Boca. The Argentine made 279 appearances in a blue and gold shirt, scoring 94 goals and winning 11 titles along the way.

To celebrate his legacy at the club, Tevez is playing one final match at La Bombonera in December. Reports out of Argentina claim the 42-year-old wants to field an XI of his friends, both from his playing days and his childhood.

The opposing team is slated to feature players he has shared time with throughout his career. Messi and Ronaldo are both named in the report for their connections to Tevez; the former was his teammate on the Argentina national team while the latter shared the pitch with him at United.

It’s unclear whether Messi and Ronaldo would be on the same team or on opposite sides, as they have been their entire careers, but either option could make for a momentous occasion in Argentina.

When Was the Last Time Messi, Ronaldo Faced Off?

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi — Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi last met three years ago. | Aurelien Meunier/PSG/Getty Images

At the height of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo were constantly battling on the pitch for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, as well as off it, competing for Ballon d’Or awards and every other record in the sport.

Since the two left La Liga, though, their meetings have been few and far between. The two greats last clashed on Jan. 19, 2023, when Ronaldo headlined a Saudi Pro League All-Star team against Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain in an exhibition match.

The world was hoping to see Portugal and Argentina lock horns at this summer’s World Cup, but the 2016 European champion was eliminated by eventual winner Spain in the round of 16, preventing what would have been a show-stopping reunion between the icons in their final World Cup tournament.

Tevez’s farewell match would give Messi and Ronaldo likely their last chance to play against one another—or their first chance to be on the same team.

Will Messi, Ronaldo Play in Tevez’s Farewell Match?

As of now, there’s no confirmation whether the two superstars will take the pitch in Argentina this December. Messi and Ronaldo’s ties to Tevez are obvious, but logistics might get in the way.

Argentine outlet TyC Sports report the game could unfold on the weekend of Dec. 12 and 13 or the following weekend on the 19th or the 20th.

Should Inter Miami make a run to the MLS Cup final, which unfolds on Dec. 18, Messi would not be able to compete in the match. If the Herons make an early exit in the MLS Cup playoffs, though, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would be free.

Ronaldo’s schedule allows a little more leeway. The Real Madrid legend would not be able to make the trip to Argentina during the first proposed weekend since Al Nassr are set to take on Al Fateh on Sunday, Dec. 13.

That match is the last for the reigning Saudi Pro League champions before the winter break. Ronaldo is therefore technically available for an exhibition match the following weekend.

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