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For almost two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo drove the biggest individual rivalry in modern football. They faced off in Spain, in the Champions League and with their national teams, but never once shared a team. Carlos Tevez wants to change that, in the place where his own career began.
El Apache is planning his farewell match at La Bombonera for December 2026. According to ESPN, he’s already reached out to Juan Román Riquelme to request the stadium, with December 19 floated as a possible date. His big goal is to get both Messi and Cristiano there and on the same side. For now, it’s still Tevez’s idea, and neither player has publicly confirmed anything.
Tevez, the link between the two
There’s something specific that makes this possible: Tevez played alongside both of them. He was Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate at Manchester United under Alex Ferguson, and spent several years playing next to Messi for the Argentinian national team.
He might be able to pull off something no club ever managed during either of their careers. When asked whether Messi and Cristiano could ever play together at his farewell, Tevez didn’t hesitate: “We’ll bring them together. I’ll go get Cristiano myself.”
A guest list that spans his whole career
Messi and Cristiano are the names generating the most buzz, but they wouldn’t be the only ones invited. Also under consideration are Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, Tevez’s teammates at Manchester United; Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo, from his time at Juventus; and Ángel Di María, tied to his years with the Argentinian national team.
Juan Román Riquelme is another name on the list. The two played together at Boca and with the national team, though his presence would carry extra weight given that he’s now Boca’s president and one of the great figures in the club’s history.
The possible guest list traces the arc of Tevez’s career. He came up through Boca, had a spell at Corinthians, and then built a long international career across West Ham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Shanghai Shenhua before returning to the club he left behind.
Along the way he shared locker rooms with players from different generations and won titles in Argentina, Brazil, England and Italy. With the Argentinian national team, he played in two World Cups, four Copa Américas and the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he took home the gold medal.
A farewell that could outgrow the tribute
Tevez announced his retirement as a player in June 2022, following his final spell at Boca. His immediate move into coaching pushed back any plans for a farewell at La Bombonera, a tribute that only started taking shape more than four years later.
The match would officially close out the career of one of Boca’s last great idols, but the chance to bring Messi and Cristiano together has given the event an international dimension.
Sousa FA’s Perspective
A football career is also built through the relationships created along the way.
Carlos Tevez’s potential farewell match is a good example. His time at Boca Juniors, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and the Argentina national team allowed him to share dressing rooms with players, coaches and decision-makers across some of football’s biggest markets.
Today, those relationships could help turn a personal tribute into an event with global reach.
The possibility of bringing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo together is the headline, but the story also reflects something broader: every stage of a career is an opportunity to build relationships, reputation and a network that can continue creating value long after the final match.
In an increasingly global football industry, maintaining those connections becomes part of the legacy a player builds throughout his career.
