The pair battled at the top for so long that it’s hard to fathom that we might not see the pair face off again
We’ll never see a rivalry like Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo, will we? Nothing that can match the stakes, the spectacle, the competitiveness nor the sheer level of football on display for years and years and years. There have been many great rivalries in this sport, but none quite like this one.
It came out just as social media was taking off, forcing everyone to pick a side. Were you behind Messi, the Argentinian magician who pioneered Barcelona’s tiki-taka revolution? Or were you rooting for Ronaldo, the never-say-die force of will at the helm of a Real Madrid side that dominated Europe’s top competition unlike any other?
People couldn’t help but notice the heights Messi and Ronaldo were reaching. But, even without the advent of Twitter or TikTok, this rivalry would not be missing. They were just too good for too long to ever be overlooked.
Fans around the world grew up with Messi and Ronaldo. Many fell in love with the sport because of them. Even those who loved the game long before their arrival cannot deny them. Fans may love Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane, Alfredo Di Stefano… whoever. Messi and Ronaldo, though? Almost everyone admits that they have reached a level of their own.
However, everything comes to an end. Yes, even these two. They have defied Father Time for longer than anyone could imagine, but make no mistake, it is coming. Neither play in Europe’s top flight anymore, as both now lend their names and reputations to leagues they hope to one day rival the best themselves.
On Thursday, Messi and Ronaldo were set to go head-to-head when Inter Miami take on Al-Nasr in Riyadh, but on the eve of the blockbuster clash, Luis Castro delivered some devastating news. His star wouldn’t play.