Cristiano Ronaldo Meets Lionel Messi for the First Time at National Level | Portugal vs Argentina

The Stade de Genève, I don't know if there are many neutrals here today. Just as in Spain, everyone kind of has their favorite between Real and Barca. Ray, it seems as though everyone has kind of picked a Ronaldo camp or a Messi camp. And while Messi has had the dominance in recent years in the club level, these two sides have not met in generations. You see the starting line-ups, Eduardo, Alves Contrao, Ronaldo, Moutinho, Almeida. Rolando getting in there with Morelis, Nani, Martins and Joao Pereira. A couple of changes. That much stuff in a national team performance. Here's Di Maria, deflected off the back. Header! Messi off target. Well, he scored a brilliant goal and almost another with his head just a week ago. He's fabulous with his head and usually that one shot and go. Has help left and right, holding off Mascherano. Ronaldo, the shot almost spins in off the deflection. Brave play this by Cristiano, driving through, holding off Mascherano. And Ronaldo doesn't go down. Gaby Melito comes across and it's fortunately... Sliding it in. Cambiasso denied by Eduardo. Magic by Messi again. This is fabulous football. It doesn't matter that it's offside. Look at the genius. And I'll tell you what, that's as close as you get. Magic. Backheel pass by Cambiasso. Down goes Levetsi, but no call. I'll tell you what, it's definitely... Wagging rights on the line. Ronaldo tangled up and he's going to get the call against Banega. It was great to see Cristiano Ronaldo on that run. He's up again. A step offside. Two against four, but one of them is Messi. Gets around Mireles. Toss it in. Lifted by Di Maria. Masterpiece from Messi. Genius. That's the only word you can't use. They should name the constellation in the heavens after Lionel Messi. This run is uncontainable. His pass is unstoppable. Look at this, how far wide he gets it. Cutting in pass player after player. Also to keep an eye on Ray. You see Argentina as down goes Messi and that's going to be a concern. Eyes on Ray. Just gets clipped a little bit, yes. Smiling at Mireles. Again, being one of these players seems to be proving to be a very big... Glancing header and Ronaldo from Almeida has tied it up. Wonderful play. He stabs it home and it's a difficult one. The keeper, Delano, just reaches in because of his quick razor-sharp instincts. Again, in the right place at the right time. Nani's brilliant that way. That time it really was 11 v 12. And the foul by Macedon against Ronaldo to stop the play. Kind of hard to miss Messi. Everyone's watching him. Ronaldo comes back. He'll commit the foul but Ronaldo's showing some wheels. How much to show? Is it against Cristiano or is it against Mireles? Either way, La Pulga drives by. Trying to find an extra gear. Genius. Slotted through by Di Maria. He runs into a wall of defenders and gets the call. Messi plays this one into Di Maria under severe stress as well. Messi. Strikes. Looks like it might have gone off the back of Levitz. Back to Rojo. Nicely. Outside. Finds Levitz who gets the shot put over the bar. Fabulous play by Marcos Rojo here. The ex studiante's man is absolutely brilliant. He pulls it back here. Useful pivot. Beautiful again. Lost his footing and down he goes. Mireles actually marked him this time. And Messi doesn't go down just for the sake of it. We've seen. Here that's coming on. Gangbusters. Eva Banega for his club Valencia. In the fine season. Things heating up a bit. He's tired of getting kicked. Well. I said in the preview. People. This one may not be so friendly. And this again is a very controversial decision to exclude Tevez. But. Either way. We've got a wonderful game on our hands and one that's. Eduardo might actually wish that he had. On the other side for Argentina. Again Phil. I mean Eduardo. Pulled off some really good saves for Portugal. I think he showed himself up to be a. Top class goalkeeper. Again. And. Struggle a bit. Banega perhaps overcame it. By the half. Inside and headed up and over by Almeida. Good work by Ronaldo. As always. The provader. It's Raul Pineda. Keeping it alive. Almeida. Slapped away by Romano. And Ronaldo sends it high. What a beautiful header. From. Hugo Almeida. When you see this one again. You wonder how it doesn't go in. This is a tremendous header. Beautiful direction. And it kisses the top of the bar. Stuck. Moutinho giving chase. But he's got to catch up to Messi. Who leaves him in his way. Messi. Around. Rolando. Play on says the ref. Messi. Actually. This time it was. Banega looked like. For Argentina. It will be Messi. On goal. And Patricio. Lunges. To push it wide. Well saved Rui. Beautiful directive. Great power. He actually tries to come and claim it. Mascherano covering. That leaves a gap though. Almeida drops it. Martins. Back for Ronaldo. Onside. Ronaldo. Deflected. And cleared away. Before Almeida can knock it in. That's amazing here. From Cristiano Ronaldo. Out wide. They're saying. I believe that Zanetti. Makes a hard ball. On the line. Let's take a look. Cristiano knocks it down. Moutinho. To Ronaldo. He's found an extra gear. But could back. Mascherano slips in his wake. And it. Well what a performance. The first 60 minutes was. Now the postliga. Quaresma. Dani. All getting set to check in. Bruno Alves. Will get the armband. From Ronaldo. Good day's work. From Ronaldo. Slots it through. Deflected. Messi will be ruled. Offside. And that one. Might have been closer. Than it first appeared. Then again. Maybe not. Alves. Fink came to Portugal. Messi. Decked by Alves. And it's in. The goal. Just wide. Cambiasso at the back post. Thought he might get to it. Tries to make up for it. Messi sticks his boots in. And gets whistled. And Mascherano with something to say. Ball. In. Headed. Off the crossbar. Pastori denied. By a coat of paint. Fabulous header. From Pastori. Meets it beautifully. Wonderful ball from Messi. Gets it back. Into the box. Play on. And another collision. Pointing to the spot. Against Rui Patricio. Messi. Calmly sluts it home. He might have been the calmest man in the park. There's no neutrals at this stadium. Argentina with the lead. Written in the stars. No less. Calmly sluts it home. He might have been the calmest man in the park. There's no neutrals at this stadium. Argentina with the lead.