In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had the chance to play an All Star Game at Wembley worth £90 million. The plan was proposed and almost went through, but ultimately collapsed.
At the time, Ronaldo was playing for Real Madrid while Messi was at Barcelona and both were at the top of their game. Robert Bonnier, pitched the idea and also spoke to both parties’ representatives to make it happen.
Messi vs Ronaldo All Star game – What could have been
The event has been revealed in a new book entitled ‘Messi vs Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two GOATs, and the Era That Remade the World’s Game’, according to The Sun.
Bonnier wanted the event to be a grand spectacle, with a 90,000 crowd expected in England. The game would’ve been held during the summertime every two years, and the two icons would have picked their own teams. There were also plans of having a boxing match, light show and live performances.
Messi’s team would’ve worn Adidas outfits while Ronaldo’s would’ve worn Nike due to their respective ties to the companies. But ultimately, there were too many hurdles to make the All Star Game happen. One of the key factors being Real Madrid president Florentino Perez demanding £21 million for the participation of any one of his players. The lack of approval from UEFA and FIFA also caused the plan to fall through.
