Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi reunion truth amid FIFA Club World Cup speculation

Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a shock move to MLS side Inter Miami to join up with Lionel Messi ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup

Reports of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing together at this summer's FIFA Club World Cup are wide of the mark, according to reports this week.

Football fans had the pleasure of watching two of the games greatest stars battle it out for more than a decade, but the pair are now in the twilight years of their career and are no longer playing in European competition. After a relatively unsuccessful spell at Paris Saint-Germain between 2021 and 2023, Messi is now playing his club football in the MLS for Inter Miami.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, had a brief stint back at Manchester United before he moved to Al-Nassr in 2023. However, the Portuguese international's contract with the Saudi Pro League club is set to expire this year and speculation is already growing over his next steps.

With the FIFA Club World Cup set to be staged in the US in June and July, rumours first emerged suggesting the pair could face each other again with Ronaldo tipped to join Al Hilal ahead of the tournament. Those reports were swiftly denied by the club, but now the former Real Madrid man has been linked with a shock move to Inter Miami.

Unfortunately, that too appears to be far fetched with journalist Fabrizio Romano shutting down rumours. The reporter shared in an Instagram post: "Reports on Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi to play together at Inter Miami for FIFA Club World Cup are 100% fake and wide of mark.

"No contacts, negotiations, talks or even chances as all parties involved play down these reports from the UK. Leo Messi will regularly play Club World Cup with Inter Miami and Cristiano’s not in talks to join the MLS club."

The 2025 MLS season has only just begun but Inter Miami have won three of their opening four games so far. Last year, they finished top of the Eastern Conference, but were knocked out by Atalanta United in the best-of-three series as part of the play-offs.

Al-Nassr, on the other hand, are third in the Saudi Pro League table with nine games of the season left to go. Despite Ronaldo's arrival in 2023, they have failed to win a league title, having missed out to Al-Hilal by 14 points last term.