The world stops and the ball rolls again in the biggest football party. The Azteca Stadium, a setting steeped in history, will be in charge of raising the curtain of the World Cup in its 23rd edition, the largest of all time, with 48 teams ready to write their own chapter.
Between dreams, illusions and giants of the game, there is one expectation that eclipses all: the possibility of witnessing the last great duel between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two legends who have marked an unrepeatable era and who could coincide, for the first time, on the biggest stage of all.
However, beyond the start of the contest, one of the confrontations that generates the most expectation among fans is the possible clash between Argentina and Portugal, two teams that have some of the best footballers of all time.
On the Argentine side, Lionel Messi stands out, world champion and owner of a legendary career both at the club and national team level. In it Cristiano Ronaldo shines for the Portuguese team, another universal soccer icon, who is still chasing the only major trophy missing from his showcase: the World Cup. Everything indicates that this edition could represent his last opportunity.
Fans dream of seeing these two legends face to face on the biggest football stage. Constantly compared to historical figures such as Diego Maradona and Pelé, Messi and Cristiano could star in a “last dance” that until now has not occurred in a World Cup.
Both would compete in their sixth World Cup, an unprecedented event in history. The curious thing is that, despite their multiple participations, Argentina and Portugal have never faced each other in this tournament.
Odds of them facing each other
To gauge the real options of this expected duel, it is key to place both teams in the group stage:
Argentina (Group J): Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
Portugal (Group K): Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
Due to hierarchy and background, it is most likely that both Argentina and Portugal will finish as leaders of their respective groups. From this scenario, three possible intersections are presented.
Scenario 1: Quarterfinals (most likely)
Condition: They both finish first in their groups.
Argentina (1J) would advance through the lower right key.
Portugal (1K) would be in that same area of the table.
The crossing: If they get past the round of 32 and round of 16, they would meet in the quarterfinals.
Probability: High.
Both teams start as favorites and have teams capable of reaching this stage.
Scenario 2: The dream final
Condition: One finishes first and the other second in his group.
This would put them on opposite sides of the elimination bracket:
Argentina 1J versus Portugal 2K, or vice versa.
The crossing: They could only meet in the final or in the third place match.
Probability: Medium-low.
It requires both teams to go through multiple rounds against high-level opponents.
Scenario 3: Duel in the round of 16
Condition: Both finish second (2J and 2K).
The crossing: After passing the round of 32, they would meet in the round of 16.
Probability: Low.
It is unlikely that two teams of this caliber will not lead their groups.
A confrontation that would paralyze the world
In summary, the 2026 World Cup has all the ingredients to give us a historic confrontation between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Whether in the quarterfinals, in a dream final or even in the round of 16, the possibility of seeing them share the same field in a World Cup generates unprecedented expectations.
If it comes to fruition, it would not be just another match: it would be the symbolic closing of an era, the last chapter of the greatest rivalry that modern football has ever experienced.