How can Ronaldo face Messi at the World Cup?

FT Desk

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
• 3 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi head to the upcoming World Cup as two of the greatest players of all time. How and when can Portugal and Argentina meet each other in Qatar?

Ronaldo has scored a record 117 goals in 191 games with Portugal, and won the European Championship with his country in 2016; Messi has 90 goals in 164 Argentina caps, and lifted the Copa America just last year.

The pair have been at the top of the world game for most of the last 20 years, but they head to Qatar with the club form contrasting sharply.

READ: 'Ronaldo's dirty laundry' poisons Portugal's World Cup

Ronaldo was dropped by Manchester United before giving an explosive interview to Piers Morgan and may never play for them again. He was then given a frosty reception by club and international teammate Bruno Fernandes when they players met up for the upcoming competition.

Messi had a difficult first season in Paris after arriving on a free from Barcelona last summer, but he has re-found his mojo this term, with 12 goals and 14 assists in the first half of the season with PSG.

Both remain among the favourites to finish as the top scorer in Qatar, though. But when can they face each other?

Permutations

READ: Lewandowski calls Messi to join Barcelona

Portugal have been drawn in Group H alongside Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea, while Argentina's Group C included Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland. Uruguay are tipped to run Portugal close, while Messi's Argentina are overwhelming favourites to finish top of their section.

If they both win their groups, the earliest Portugal and Argentina - and therefore Ronaldo and Messi - can meet is the final at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on 18 December. On opposite sides of the draw, the same is true if both nations finish as runners-up at the group stage.

However, if ether Ronaldo or Messi find themselves as a group stage winner while the other one doesn't, then Portugal and Argentina could meet in the semi-finals instead.

If Argentina top Group C but Portugal are pipped into second place in Group H, before both proceeding to win all of their games, they will meet in the first semi-final also at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, on 13 December. If those group stage roles were reversed, they would collide in the second semi at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor the following day instead.