Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images

Major Update Emerges on Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Possibly Teaming Up

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 11:11 PM ET

There likely isn't a rivalry across sports that was as iconic as Lionel Messi during his time with FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo during his tenure with Real Madrid.

Two of the best players in the world routinely competing against one another for clubs who happen to hated rivals. Between the two of them they have 13 Ballon d'Or awards, nine Champions League trophies, thousands of goals and a debate regarding who is better that may never be settled.

While it's been multiple years since they have faced off against one another, the possibility surfaced as CBS Sports reported that there has been a push for Ronaldo to play in the Club World Cup. The 32-club tournament is set to take place in the United States from June 14-July 13, and is the first rendition of the FIFA tournament.

With Ronaldo's contract at Al-Nassr expiring at the end of June and him cryptically writing, "This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all." on X, many have begun to wonder where he will end up. With CBS reporting that multiple Brazilian clubs could be an option, the MLS' Inter Miami is also partcipating.

The thought of Ronaldo and Messi going from rivals to teammates as their careers wind down would be one of the biggest plot-twists in sports history. However, according to Mike Ryan of the "Le Batard Show," it's not likely.

"The head of FIFA is kind of pressuring teams that are in this Club World Cup to sign Ronaldo," Ryan said. "They have this media rights package that's on DAZN here in this country, like 24 of the games on TNT. He wants this to be big this is the first Club World Cup and he wants the face...the co-face of a generation Cristiano Ronaldo in it.

"So if he's pressuring all these clubs, one would wonder hey, Inter Miami is one of these clubs in the Club World Cup, might they have interest in potentially loaning Cristiano Ronaldo for just this tournament," Ryan said. "And perhaps form a super team of Messi and Cristiano."

After teasing how monumental this would be, Ryan bluntly said "Inter Miami, no interest."

While it would have been quite the spectacle, it's hard to imagine they'd put their rivalry aside. However, we may see them play against one another if Ronaldo does end up on one of the other 31 teams.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: