Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both at the FIFA World Cup 2026 — and for fans who have followed their decades-long duel, the prospect of one final meeting on the grandest stage is almost too tantalising to ignore.

Argentina have already sealed their place in the round of 32 as Group J winners, while Portugal are well positioned to follow them through after a strong group campaign. But for these two icons to actually face each other, a specific sequence of results must fall into place.

The most likely path to a meeting

The most direct route to a Messi–Ronaldo showdown comes if Portugal top Group K by defeating Colombia. Winning the group would place Portugal in the same half of the draw as Argentina, setting up a potential quarter-final clash on Saturday, 11 July in Kansas City — provided both sides advance that far.

Should Portugal drop to second place in the group by failing to beat Colombia, the two nations would be separated into opposite halves of the bracket. Under that scenario, Argentina and Portugal could only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July, or in the third-place play-off at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami the day before.

The unlikely third scenario

There is a third, highly improbable path. If Portugal finish third in Group K — which would require them to lose to Colombia while DR Congo defeat Uzbekistan and overturn a six-goal swing in goal difference — they would face the Group L winners in the next round. That outcome would actually place Portugal back in Argentina's half of the bracket, and the two sides could then meet in the semi-finals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, 15 July.

A rivalry with deep roots

Messi and Ronaldo have met 36 times across their careers, a rivalry born in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2008 when Manchester United eliminated Barcelona. Messi's Barca claimed revenge the following year, beating United in the final, and the Argentine holds the superior head-to-head record — 16 wins, nine draws, and 11 defeats.

Their most recent club encounter came in 2020, when Barcelona faced Juventus in the UEFA Champions League group stage. The two have dominated the Ballon d'Or between 2008 and 2021, with only Luka Modric interrupting their shared reign.

On the international stage, their meetings have been rare. Argentina defeated Portugal 2-1 in a 2011 friendly, with Messi scoring a late winner after Ronaldo had levelled. Portugal took the second encounter 1-0 in a friendly at Old Trafford in 2014 — an injury-time winner secured after both players had been substituted at half-time.

Whether fate conspires to give football fans one more chapter in this story remains to be seen, but the roadmap — at least — is clear.