With Argentina’s squad now confirmed, Lionel Messi secured his place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, something Cristiano Ronaldo had already done with Portugal days earlier. Now, the stage is set for a potential clash between the two legends.
Both Argentina and Portugal were seeded for the World Cup draw held in December, guaranteeing them lower-ranked opponents in the group stage. Lionel Scaloni’s side was placed in Group J alongside Algeria, Jordan, and Austria, while Roberto Martinez’s team landed in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan, and DR Congo.
Under that scenario, if the expected results hold in the opening stage and both teams finish first in their respective groups, Argentina and Portugal could meet as early as the quarterfinals.
To make that happen, of course, both teams would first need to advance through their respective Round of 32 and Round of 16 matchups. That hypothetical World Cup quarterfinal between Messi and Ronaldo would be played on Saturday, July 11, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
The last international meeting between Messi and Ronaldo came in 2014.
Other possible Messi vs Ronaldo scenarios
If Argentina or Portugal — or both — fail to finish first in their respective groups, the path through the knockout stages would look completely different. If both teams finish second, the Round of 16 would set up the showdown between Messi and Ronaldo, scheduled for July 6 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
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On the other hand, if one team wins its group and the other finishes second, they would end up on opposite sides of the bracket and could only meet in a potential final. Finally, the most unusual scenario would see Messi and his teammates advance as one of the best third-place teams, which could then set up a matchup against Ronaldo in the Round of 32.
Have Messi and Ronaldo ever faced each other at the World Cup?
A potential meeting between Argentina and Portugal this summer in North America would carry added significance considering Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have never faced each other at a World Cup during their careers.
In fact, their only meetings at the international level came in two friendlies. The first took place in 2011, when Argentina earned a 2-1 victory with both stars scoring and the other goal coming from Angel Di Maria. Three years later, Messi and Ronaldo met again, with the Europeans winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Raphael Guerreiro.
Finally, it is worth noting that Argentina and Portugal have never faced each other in World Cup history. The two teams have played eight times overall, all of them in friendlies or now-defunct tournaments such as the 1964 Nations Cup and the 1972 Brazil Independence Cup.
