One of football's greatest fantasies could become reality before Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo hang up their boots. Two decades of rivalry and brilliance may yet give way to an extraordinary sight: the two legends lining up in the same shirt, in what would rank among the most remarkable moments the game has seen.
The man behind the idea is former Argentine star Carlos Tévez. He wants to stage his retirement match at La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors, after missing out on a proper farewell when he retired in 2022.
Spanish newspaper "Marca", citing Argentine website "Infobae", report that Tévez has revived the plan with a target date of 20 December 2026. He is also said to have secured the blessing of Juan Román Riquelme, the Boca Juniors president.
Appearing on Argentine channel "Olga", Tévez laid out the details of the event and his wish to bring together some of the biggest names he shared a pitch with across his career.
He said: "It will be wonderful, I have to speak with Román to arrange it at the end of the year", before running through a star-studded list. It included goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon and Edwin van der Sar, defenders Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidić, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, plus Andrea Pirlo, Paul Scholes and Riquelme.
Then came the bombshell. Asked about Messi and Ronaldo featuring together, he insisted: "We will put them together", before adding: "I will look for Cristiano myself", a nod to his determination to land the Portuguese star alongside "the little one", as he described Messi.
Tévez shares a special footballing bond with both legends. He played 47 matches alongside Messi for Argentina, and lined up with Ronaldo 80 times during their days together at Manchester United.
For now the idea sits in the realm of plans and soundbites. But if Tévez pulls it off and gets the two stars into one team, he will hand fans an unforgettable spectacle and rewrite the final chapter of modern football's fiercest rivalry, this time far from the battle for goals and titles.