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.
