Fans around the world may have had to wait for the sixth and final match day of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League group stage, but finally neutrals everywhere got their wish: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — the greatest two players of their generation and perhaps of all time — squaring off on the same field for the first time in more than two years.
The potential matchup between the two living legends has been eagerly anticipated since the first round draw took place in October. But when Messi’s Barcelona traveled to Italy to take on Juventus later that month, Ronaldo was forced to miss the match after contracting COVID-19 while on international duty with Portugal.