The Portugal national team may face Argentina in the World Cup final if both teams reach the final. The paths of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi will only cross in this World Cup if Portugal and Argentina reach the final of the tournament on July 19.

What happened?

The Portuguese team finished the first phase in second place in Group K, and Argentina in the leadership of Group J, the two teams went to different sides of the knockout stage.

Why is this important for Portugal?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi could face each other for the first time in the competition. They have already faced each other 36 times in official games, two of them in friendly matches between national teams.

What's next?

In the second phase, Argentina faces Cape Verde, and Portugal faces Croatia. | Date | Opponent | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-17 | Congo DR | 1-1 |

The Portugal national team comes from a sequence of 3 wins and 2 draws in the last 5 games, and is unbeaten in this period. The team's next game will be against Wales, at home, on 2026-09-24.

How does this affect the team?

Cristiano Ronaldo was annoyed by questions about Messi asked by the press. When asked about the possibility of facing Messi in the knockout stage, Cristiano Ronaldo stated that the question did not make sense.

Comparison between the two

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both reached the record for World Cup appearances, alongside Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa. Each of them has been in six editions. Messi has scored just one more goal (22 to 21), but many more assists (12 to 1) than Cristiano Ronaldo in official games.