Carlos Tevez confirms Lionel Messi will play in his farewell match, while Cristiano Ronaldo remains uncertain

Carlos Tevez has revealed that Lionel Messi will be part of his farewell match at La Bombonera, a star-studded event scheduled for Dec. 20, while the participation of Cristiano Ronaldo remains uncertain.

The former Boca Juniors striker announced the farewell in early September, and while he retired professionally in 2021, he will return to the stadium one more time to put on the boots for a final goodbye.

The news came during an appearance on the podcast of former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who is also among the guests. Tevez said the match will be played between Boca and a team of his closest friends, and he confirmed the presence of two big names. “Messi and Riquelme are going to play,” the Apache said, referring to Boca president Juan Roman Riquelme, who will take part as a player.

Beyond the confirmations from Tevez himself, Infobae reported that the guest list includes Gabriel Batistuta, Gianluigi Buffon, Edwin van der Sar, Sergio Aguero, Arturo Vidal, Patrice Evra, Martin Palermo, Pablo Zabaleta, Esteban Cambiasso, Nicolas Burdisso and Sebastian Battaglia. Tevez would also like Roberto Mancini and Carlos Bianchi to coach the two teams, although that has not been confirmed.

Ronaldo among the stars yet to reply

The biggest question mark is Cristiano Ronaldo. Tevez has long wanted to bring the two superstars together on the same pitch, and back in April 2025 he said he would personally reach out to both.

For now, the Portuguese forward is on a list of players who have not yet responded, along with Andrea Pirlo, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Daniele De Rossi, Giorgio Chiellini, Paul Pogba, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney, who could also attend.

Infobae also noted that the event could feature appearances from Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto and tennis former star Juan Martin Del Potro, both well-known Boca fans, as well as musical performances.

For Tevez, who scored 94 goals in 279 games for Boca and won 11 titles with the club, it will be a long-awaited farewell in front of the fans who adored him.