It has been about six years since Lionel Messi last came across Cristiano Ronaldo on the football field in a competitive match. The last time it happened was when Barcelona suffered a 0-3 defeat against Juventus in the Champions League. The match saw Ronaldo score twice against Messi’s Barca in the group stage. Since then, the career paths of the two players have prevented a face-off. However, all of that can change in the FIFA World Cup 2026, with a square-off between Argentina and Portugal possible as early as the quarter-finals.
While Argentina have been placed in Group J of the World Cup this time, Portugal are in Group K. While Messi’s Argentina have been tasked with facing the likes of Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, Ronaldo’s Portugal will be up against DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia.
In total, there are three scenarios that could lead to an Argentina vs Portugal, or Messi vs Ronaldo situation in the World Cup:
Scenario 1: If both Argentina (Group J) and Portugal (Group K) win their groups, they will end up on the same side of the tournament bracket. If they both win their respective Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches, they will end up playing each other in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Scenario 2: If both Argentina and Portugal end up securing runners-up spots in their respective groups, the tournament structure would prevent them from meeting in the quarter-finals. In such a case, they will end up facing each other in the Round of 16. However, considering the quality of their opponents, the chances of this scenario being fulfilled are slim.
Scenario 3: If one of Argentina and Portugal ends up winning their group and the other is placed second, their paths will remain separated until the very end. In this scenario, Messi and Ronaldo can only meet in the World Cup Final in New Jersey.
Considering the 2026 World Cup is going to be the last for both Messi and Ronaldo, fans are keeping their fingers crossed to see them face off one more time. A clash in the final, if the football gods agree, would be the icing on the cake.
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