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Argentina have already booked their place in the round of 32 as winners of Group J with one match remaining, while Portugal are in a strong position to secure their own qualification.

If you haven't noticed yet, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are taking part in this World Cup.

The two icons of modern football have shared a legendary rivalry over the years, largely defined by their time as the leading stars of Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

But could we witness these two giants of the game face each other once more — and if so, what exactly would need to happen for Argentina and Portugal to meet on the world stage?

The duo virtually monopolised the Ballon d'Or between 2008 and 2021, with Luka Modric being the only player to interrupt their dominance during that period.

Their most passionate — and at times obsessive — fans have long debated which of the two deserves to be regarded as the greatest footballer of their generation, or even of all time, though many would argue that Messi holds the edge.

A potential meeting between the two would undoubtedly be a thrilling prospect for football fans everywhere.

There are several scenarios through which Argentina and Portugal could cross paths in the knockout stages of the World Cup.

The simplest route would be for Portugal to top their group by defeating Colombia on Saturday afternoon. That outcome would place them in the same half of the draw as Argentina, setting up a potential quarter-final clash in Kansas City on Saturday, July 11, if both teams progress to that stage.

If Portugal fail to beat Colombia and instead finish as runners-up in their group, they would fall into the opposite half of the bracket. In that case, the only way for Portugal and Argentina to meet would be in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, or in the third-place play-off at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium the previous day.

It is highly improbable that Portugal will finish third in Group K. For that to happen, they would need to lose to Colombia while DR Congo defeat Uzbekistan, with the goal margins aligning to overturn a six-goal difference in favour of the African side.

However, if that unlikely situation did occur, Portugal would then face the winners of Group L in the next round — placing them in Argentina’s half of the draw. This could lead to a semi-final showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15.

Over the course of their illustrious careers, Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times. Their first meeting came in 2008, when Manchester United defeated Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.

Messi’s Barcelona got their revenge a year later in the final, and the Argentine holds the better overall record in their encounters, with 16 wins, nine draws and 11 defeats. Their most recent meeting occurred in 2020, when Barcelona faced Juventus in the Champions League group stage.

On the international stage, however, they have only gone head-to-head twice. Argentina triumphed 2-1 in a 2011 friendly, with Messi scoring a late winner after Ronaldo had equalised for Portugal. Portugal won the second encounter 1-0 in another friendly at Old Trafford in 2014, with the decisive goal coming in stoppage time after both players had been substituted at half-time.