Portugal Draw Spoils Messi-Ronaldo World Cup Clash
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- Portugal drew 0-0 with Colombia in their final Group K match to finish as runners-up, landing on the opposite side of the knockout bracket from Argentina and killing the anticipated Messi-Ronaldo quarterfinal
- Argentina topped their group after Messi scored five goals against Algeria and Austria, and will face underdogs Cape Verde in the round of 32
- Messi and Ronaldo have met 36 times in competitive matches — Messi winning 16 (22 goals) to Ronaldo's 11 wins (21 goals)
- The 2009 Champions League final in Rome saw Messi head Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Ronaldo's Manchester United, securing the Catalan club's first-ever league, domestic cup and European Cup treble
- November 29, 2010: Messi set up two goals as Barcelona humiliated Real Madrid 5-0 at Camp Nou, a rout immortalized by Gerard Pique's five-fingered 'Manita' salute
- In nine years of shared La Liga play, Messi and Ronaldo never produced a single goalless Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid
Why it matters: By finishing second, Portugal's knockout path now diverges from Argentina's, leaving Messi and Ronaldo — who play on different continents and might not feature at the 2030 World Cup — able to meet again only in the final. The two have already clashed 36 times competitively with 43 combined goals between them.
