Legacy carved in golden letters. Legends of their era. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are heroes for their fans. The greatest footballers of the era will once again be in action in the biggest FIFA World Cup, with an unprecedented 48 teams vying for the ultimate prize.
Messi has tasted it. After a heartbreak in the 2014 final, Argentina lifted their third title in 2022 as Messi completed football with the greatest prize in his cabinet. Ronaldo has not, after having come close in his maiden edition in 2006 with a semifinal appearance, but carrying on at the age of 41 shows he has the same desire that he had in his 20s to lift the trophy once.ย
Messi, Ronaldo and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa are set to feature in their sixth FIFA World Cups, which will be the most by any player. Messi holds the record for having played the most matches in the tournament – 26, while Ronaldo has featured in 22 games. However, neither of them has ever faced off against the other at the biggest stage of them all in a competitive match.
Can Messi and Ronaldo meet each other in 2026 World Cup?
Yes, Messi and Ronaldo can meet each other in the 2026 World Cup, and there is a realistic possibility of that. Argentina and Portugal are in separate groups, with the defending champions in Group J and the Portugese side in Group K. There are three scenarios in which the two legends can cross paths in the tournament. Here are those scenarios:
Scenario 1: If both Argentina and Portugal top their groups – which they are expected to – they can meet each other in the knockouts. If they win their round of 32 and round of 16 matches, they will be up against each other in the quarterfinal. This seems a realistic scenario as the Argentines will face only Uruguay as their toughest opponent, and Portugal are not expected to face any issues in the knockouts until the quarters.
Scenario 2: The second scenario is if both teams finish second in their group. In this case, they can meet each other as early as in the round of 16, but they will have to beat much tougher opponents. Argentina might be up against Spain, while Portugal can face Croatia in their round of 32 encounters in this case.
Scenario 3: If one of the two teams tops the group and the other finishes second, there is a probability of their meeting in the final for the ultimate showpiece. For that, they would have to overcome several tough opponents in the knockouts and enter the final for a possible final dance between the legends.
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