Last year, football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines when they teamed up for a partnership with fashion giants Louis Vuitton. The collaboration included a memorable photo where Messi and Ronaldo were depicted playing chess on a Louis Vuitton briefcase.

The image, shared on both players’ Instagram accounts, quickly became a sensation, accumulating over 70 million likes and becoming the most-liked picture on Instagram. Although they were not physically together for the photo, clever editing techniques brought them together visually.

The significance of the photo was not lost on fans, especially given its timing just before the World Cup in Qatar. The LV briefcase showcased in the picture was the same one used during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where the trophy was presented for the opening fixture and final matches.

Fans on social media speculated that the chess game played on the World Cup briefcase symbolized the ongoing bаttle between Messi and Ronaldo to establish themselves as the greatest footballers of all time.

Interestingly, it was Messi who emerged as the victor in this symbolic contest. He led Argentina to their first World Cup victory since 1986, overcoming France in a tҺrilling match that ended 3-3 and was eventually won on penalties. Messi’s exceptional performance throughout the tournament, which included seven goals, earned him his eighth Ballon d’Or.

On the other hand, Ronaldo’s World Cup campaign did not go as planned, as he was dropped for Portugal’s knockout games and his team was eliminated by Morocco in the quarter-finals.

Although they did not have a final showdown on the world stage, Messi and Ronaldo did meet a few weeks later in Saudi Arabia when Paris Saint-Germain played against a Riyadh XI captained by Ronaldo.

Furthermore, fans can anticipate another encounter between the two football legends in a lucrative friendly match between Al Nassr and Inter Miami scheduled for February 1st.

The chess game on the Louis Vuitton briefcase served as a powerful symbol of the ongoing rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, further fueling the debate about who is the greatest footballer of their generation.