RONALDO AND MESSI COULD BECOME TEAMMATES
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been football’s greatest rivals for over a decade, but a sensational development could see them play on the same team later this year. The two icons, who defined an era with their battles in La Liga and beyond, might share the pitch not as opponents but as teammates for the first time in their illustrious careers.
Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr is set to expire this summer, leaving the door open for a potential move. While the expectation is that the Portuguese superstar will re-sign with the Saudi club, a temporary detour could see him join a Club World Cup team before returning to the Saudi Pro League. talkSPORT reports that such a scenario is being considered, which would put Ronaldo in the middle of the revamped tournament set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13.
Messi’s Inter Miami is one of the teams competing in the tournament, having secured qualification through their CONCACAF standing. While many assume that any Ronaldo appearance would be as an opponent, Inter Miami is reportedly open to the idea of making the two global icons teammates. Though no formal negotiations have taken place, the MLS club has the financial and structural flexibility to make a deal happen.
MLS franchises are allowed three designated players who can be signed outside of the salary cap, and Miami currently has two—Messi and Sergio Busquets. That leaves space for another high-profile signing, and Ronaldo could theoretically fit into that slot. However, he is waiting to see if any concrete offer materializes before deciding on his next move.
The idea of Messi and Ronaldo finally playing together would be an unprecedented moment in football history. The two superstars dominated the Ballon d’Or race for over a decade, trading the prestigious award back and forth during their peak years. Their rivalry in Spain, with Ronaldo leading Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, defined a golden era of club football.
Since then, their careers have taken different paths. Ronaldo moved on to Juventus, then briefly returned to Manchester United before heading to Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. Now 40 years old, he remains as motivated as ever, with his sights set on reaching 1,000 career goals—having scored his 929th during Portugal’s Nations League victory over Denmark last weekend.
Messi, on the other hand, left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain before joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami. His presence in MLS has already elevated the league’s profile, and the addition of Ronaldo would only further global interest in the American football scene.
The two last shared a pitch in January 2023 during an exhibition match between PSG and a Riyadh All-Star XI featuring Ronaldo. Throughout their careers, they have faced each other 36 times, with Messi holding the edge in head-to-head victories—16 wins to Ronaldo’s 11, with nine draws. But the Club World Cup could rewrite history by turning that rivalry into a one-of-a-kind partnership.
The tournament, hosted across 12 cities in the United States, will feature 32 teams split into eight groups of four. The lineup includes four teams each from Africa, Asia, and North and Central America, alongside six South American sides, one from Oceania, one from the U.S. as the host nation, and a dominant European contingent of 12 clubs.
With £775 million in prize money at stake and a staggering £96.9 million for the winners, the tournament will be one of the most lucrative competitions in world football. Adding Ronaldo and Messi as teammates would not only elevate the spectacle but also make the 2025 Club World Cup an unforgettable chapter in football history.