The pair battled at the top for so long that it's hard to fathom that we may not witness the pair face off again

We never will see a rivalry quite like Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo, will we? Nothing that can match the stakes, the spectacle, the competitiveness nor the pure 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 emerged right as social media started blossoming, forcing everyone to pick a side. Were you behind Messi, the Argentinian magician spearheading Barcelona's tiki-taka revolution? Or were you backing Ronaldo, the never-say-die sheer force of will at the head of a Real Madrid side that dominated Europe's top competitions unlike any other?

The world couldn't help but take notice of the heights Messi and Ronaldo were reaching. But, even without the advent of Twitter or TikTok, there'd be no missing this rivalry. They were simply 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 can't deny them. Fans may love Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane, Alfredo Di Stefano… whoever. Messi and Ronaldo, though? Almost everyone admits they've reached a level all of their own.

Still, everything comes to an end. Yes, even these two. They've defied Father Time for longer than anyone could have imagined, but make no mistake, it's coming. Neither play in the top flights of Europe anymore, with both now lending their names and reputations to leagues that hope to someday compete with the very best themselves.

On Thursday, Messi and Ronaldo were set to face off when Inter Miami take on Al-Nassr in Riyadh, but on the eve on the blockbuster encounter, Luis Castro delivered some crushing news. His star man wouldn't be playing.

Watch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream nowGettyOne last match?

"We will not see [Messi vs Ronaldo], Ronaldo is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days you can start working with the team. He will be absent from the game," Castro said grimly.

It wasn't a complete shock, of course, with Al-Nassr hastily cancelling their trip to China due to concerns over Ronaldo's fitness. But it did little to soften the blow.

In fairness, there have been several occasions when it has been claimed that we would be saying goodbye to the Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry. Initially, it was after Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018, meaning that the certainty of him meeting Messi twice a year in La Liga was gone.

Similar claims were made when Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia in late 2022, ending any hopes of anymore Champions League meetings between the pair. By the time he and Messi faced off in a friendly between Paris Saint-Germain and a Saudi Pro League XI last January, fans had accepted that there probably wouldn't be any more chances to see these two share a field.

Thursday's game at the Kingdom Arena in the Saudi capital, offered a chance to witness the legendary sparring partners face off one more time – but it's now been cruelly ripped away.

Saying that, there's still a chance there could be one final meeting between two players who have shared 13 Ballons d'Or between them. More friendlies, both club and international, could yet be scheduled, while the possibility of Miami and Al-Nassr both qualifying for the 2025 Club World Cup is also very much alive. Even if there's no future matches between two official teams, there's enough money in the sport now to put together some kind of testimonial before both of their bodies finally give in.

For now, we have to accept that, even if we do see these two compete against one another once again, there aren't many times left. And for millions of fans, that's sad. It certainly is the end of an era.

AdvertisementGettyClassic El Clasicos

For those who didn't live through it, it's hard to properly explain what El Clasico felt like at its peak. There was no match like it anywhere in the world; no game where the level was so high, nor the competition so downright fierce.

Those Jose Mourinho vs Pep Guardiola years? Bloodbaths. It even divided the Spanish national team for some time. The competition was so tight and the games so downright ferocious, that international teammates couldn't bear to look at one another as they joined up in the aftermath.

Messi and Ronaldo, of course, were center-stage throughout. They were the two best players on the two best teams, setting record after record in every way imaginable. There were battles all over the field in those days, but the world was watching to see how Messi would one-up Ronaldo, or vice versa.

For over a decade, there was no stopping Messi or Ronaldo. And what made them so special wasn't just what they did, but how they did it.

GettyAstronomical numbers

By the time all was said and done, Ronaldo won two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies while at Real Madrid. His performances, particularly in those European atmospheres, were legendary. There are few, if any, better big-game players in the history of this sport. When the lights were brightest, Ronaldo stepped up.

Messi, meanwhile, won La Liga a total of 10 times while also claiming four Champions Leagues. For years, you knew that when Barcelona rolled into town, you were in for a show. Whether flanked by Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, Neymar or Luis Suarez, Messi was the maestro. He helped Barcelona do unthinkable things during an unstoppable reign of terror atop La Liga.

Between them, they won 10 Ballons d'Or in a row before Luka Modric put an end to their unrivalled dominance in 2018. Messi, of course, would go on to claim the trophy again one year later, with Ronaldo also finishing among the top three.

In terms of goals, the numbers are astronomical. Messi has 899 career club goals with 122 more for Argentina. Ronaldo? He has hit the back of the net 745 times so far in his club career, with 128 more – a world record for men's international football – fired in for Portugal.

So many of those goals were scored whilst competing with one another. The two used each other as fuel, with the other's exploits pushing them to reach higher levels.

GettyTwo styles, same result

In some ways, though, Messi and Ronaldo are polar opposites.

On one side, there's Ronaldo, the physical specimen blessed with unmatched athleticism and an unrivalled work ethic. His craft was honed during hours upon hours in both the gym and on the training field. No player worked harder and, for some time, no player was better than Ronaldo. He was a physically unstoppable force, one that terrorized defender after defender with speed, strength and, most importantly, an undeniable competitive fire.

And then on the other, Messi. Diminutive, quiet, unassuming… he looks more fan than footballer. But the second that ball touches his feet, magic happens. When Messi plays, the game somehow speeds up and slows down. The day he was born in Rosario, the football gods chose to smile down, blessing him with the innate ability to bend games to his will,

They had two totally different approaches to the game and two very different personalities. Ronaldo was loud and boisterous. He often posed in minimal clothing, flexing his sculpted body just to show how much work he'd put in. Messi, meanwhile, largely kept to himself, never showing much emotion unless forced to.

Despite their differences, this rivalry never got personal. Overall, it was all about respect.