From GOATs to tycoons: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi reignite rivalry off the pitch after surprise investments in Spanish football… so when will they face each other?

For years, the rivalry on the pitch between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated world football.

The two titans of the game slugged it out for titles and individual accolades, particularly during Ronaldo’s nine-year stint at Real Madrid when he directly faced Messi’s memorable Barcelona side.

In fact, between 2008 and 2021, the pair won 12 out of 13 Ballon d’Or awards. Their monopoly was interrupted by Luka Modric in 2018. 

In recent years as their careers have moved towards the end at Inter Miami and Al-Nassr, occasional exhibition matches have been organised to put the two legendary rivals up against each other as fans try to make the most of every opportunity to see them face off.

But in recent month, a fresh, off-pitch rivalry has emerged after both invested in Spanish football teams.

In February, Ronaldo purchased a 25 per cent stake in Almeria, while Messi took control of UE Cornella last week.

But, who are these teams, what do the investments mean, what are their ambitions and could Almeria and UE Cornella play against each other? Daily Mail Sport takes a look…

Who have Messi and Ronaldo invested in?

Messi’s new club UE Cornella are based in Catalonia, the autonomous community where Barcelona is situated. 

They play in the fifth tier of Spanish football, the Tercera Federaction, which is semi-professional, although they spent 10 seasons in the third tier from 2014 to 2024. 

It is a much smaller stage to what Messi may be used to, with their Camp Municipal de Cornella stadium having a capacity of just 1,500.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has stepped in further up the pyramid with Almeria.

They are currently third in the Segunda Division and battling to return to LaLiga having spent eight seasons there since 2007.

He is starting from a much higher base, and Almeria’s ground has a capacity of 17,400.

Why have they invested and what are their ambitions?

Ronaldo’s investment in Almeria strengthens his ties with Saudi Arabia given the club is 75 per cent owned by an investment consortium from the kingdom led by Mohammed Al-Khereiji, who played a key role in his move to Al-Nassr. 

The club were previously owned by Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority. 

Ronaldo’s move also follows a long-held ownership ambition of his. Back in December 2024, he discussed this desire and revealed he knew how to fix structural flaws in some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United. 

‘I said this one-and-a-half years ago, and I will continue to say it: the problem is not the coaches,’ he explained when discussing United’s struggles. ‘It’s like an aquarium. If you have the fish inside and he’s sick and you take him out and you fix the problem and you put him again in an aquarium they will be sick again.

‘The problem of Manchester United is the same. The problem is not always the coach. It’s much more than that. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust what I think is bad there.’

That came after he had said: ‘I’m not a coach. I’m never going to be a coach, president of the club? No. Maybe owner of the club. It will depend on the moment, the right opportunities.’

When pressed further, he added: ‘But mark my words, I will be owner of a big club. For sure.’

Ronaldo also viewed this as an opportunity to diversity his business portfolio and continue his links with football beyond his playing career. 

The 41-year-old was attracted by Almeria’s strong foundations and believes there is potential for the club to grow and rise into LaLiga.

Ronaldo is expected to boost Almeria’s commercial profile and draw international interest, while he is keen to assist the club’s development across the first team and academy. 

Messi is similarly keen to help Cornella rise up the Spanish pyramid, although the move reinforces his close ties to Barcelona, and the club’s stadium is just five miles from the Camp Nou.  

The news announcing the Argentine’s arrival also mentioned ‘his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalonia’.

It later added: ‘Leo Messi’s arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter in the club’s history, aimed at driving both sporting and institutional growth, strengthening its foundations, and continuing to invest in talent. 

‘The project is guided by a long-term vision and a strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability, and a strong connection to its local roots.’ 

Although Messi hasn’t explicitly spoken since his investment was announced, Cornella’s strong youth setup appears to be an attraction, along with the opportunity to develop young talents in Catalonia.

Given the club has been higher in the pyramid before, there is also a desire to improve the club on and off the pitch in what is a long-term approach.

Both players are already involved in ownership at other clubs – Messi has shares in Inter Miami and Ronaldo has a 15 per cent stake in Al-Nassr – and they are following the broader trend of footballers moving into ownership after retirement.   

Do these sides have any notable former players?

Yes, there is plenty of pedigree when looking at the alumni of each team. 

For Cornella, it was mainly in their youth ranks, with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya playing in their system before he moved to England to join Blackburn Rovers at the age of 16. 

Barcelona legend Jordi Alba also spent two years at the club between 2005 and 2007, before he was sold to Valencia in a €6,000 (£5,216) deal.

Elsewhere, Keita Balde, who has played for the likes of Monaco, Inter Milan and Senegal, was a highly rated product in Barcelona’s system.

However, he was sent on loan to Cornella due to a disciplinary issue and went on to score 47 goals in a season for their youth team until he was sold to Lazio. 

There is a similar positive record at Almeria, although this has tended to involve first team stars. 

Tottenham assistant coach and former Brighton stalwart Bruno spent three years at the club, while ex-Man City star Alvaro Negredo earned a move to Real Madrid off the back of his exploits at Almeria.

Meanwhile, the likes of Darwin Nunez, former West Ham man Sofiane Feghouli and ex-Brighton and QPR striker Tomer Hemed enjoyed stints at the club.

Could they face each other in a game?

It’s a possibility, although one that is unlikely right now. The two teams are three divisions apart, and while a glamour friendly could be on the table, potentially in pre-season, Almeria may question how useful that would be – yet it would definitely generate interest. 

Given their involvements and ambitions, they will both have hopes to progress up the leagues, meaning a Wrexham-style rise for Messi’s team is not out of the question, although that would take three promotions and no further progress from Ronaldo’s Almeria.

There is a chance they could meet in the Copa del Rey, although Cornella didn’t even qualify for the preliminary rounds of the competition this season.

Messi will hope that changes one day as these two modern day greats start to plot life beyond their playing careers.