Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could finally share the same pitch as teammates later this year, in what would mark a historic moment for two of football’s greatest stars.
The long-time rivals are expected to feature at Carlos Tevez’s testimonial match, which is being planned for December at Boca Juniors’ iconic La Bombonera Stadium in Argentina.
Tevez, who played alongside both superstars during his illustrious career, has revealed that he intends to bring Messi and Ronaldo together for the special occasion.
The former Argentina international said he is prepared to personally travel to secure their participation, stressing that he already maintains contact with both players.
“Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be there,” Tevez said, adding that he would “go pick them myself” if necessary.
Messi and Ronaldo have spent much of their careers on opposite sides of football’s biggest rivalry. Messi became the face of Barcelona, while Ronaldo starred for Real Madrid, with their competition dominating the Spanish league and European football for years.
Their potential reunion would be particularly significant because the pair have never played for the same club or represented the same team in a competitive fixture.
Tevez retired from professional football in 2021 following a career that included successful spells at Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Boca Juniors. However, he has yet to hold the testimonial match originally intended to celebrate his career.
According to reports, Boca Juniors president Juan Roman Riquelme has approved the plan for Tevez to stage the testimonial at La Bombonera.
A number of other legendary players are also expected to be invited, including former Manchester United teammates Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, as well as Italian greats Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon.
Messi has a strong personal connection with Tevez, having represented Argentina alongside him between 2005 and 2015.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, shared the Manchester United dressing room with Tevez from 2007 to 2009. Together with Rooney, they formed one of the most formidable attacking combinations in European football at the time.
During their spell at Old Trafford, Manchester United won consecutive Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
With Messi now playing for Inter Miami in the United States and Ronaldo continuing his career with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Tevez’s testimonial could provide a rare opportunity for the two football icons to appear on the same side.
If both accept the invitation, the event would bring together several of the most recognisable names from the modern era of football and give fans a potentially unprecedented Messi-Ronaldo reunion.
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