It’s been a lifetime since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fans have pitted them against each other. And given this could be the last world cup for Messi and Ronaldo, this debate is at an all-time high. But fans were in for a surprise when the two greatest football players of all time posed together for a Louis Vuitton ad campaign. The picture broke the Internet in no time.

While others just celebrated the fact that the two football legends had posed together and created history, fans got busy decoding hidden messages behind the picture. The legendary duo is seen playing chess on a Louis Vuitton briefcase, and that has made fans come up with two theories.

Same Louis Vuitton Briefcase Was Used To Carry 2018 World Cup Trophy

First, the LV briefcase in the picture was part of the 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia and had the trophy before it was presented at the opening fixture and final. Both are playing chess on the same briefcase which is also metaphorical for how the two titans of football could be set for a showdown with an Argentina-Portugal final in Qatar being a possibility.

Position Of The Chess Pieces Harks Back To Carlsen vs Nakamura In 2017

Another theory suggests that the position of the pieces in the picture has been derived from Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura’s draw in 2017, which is another excellent metaphor that doesn’t conclude who the actual GOAT football player is and keeps the debate rather open-ended. We see what you did there LV. Really subtle.

Earlier, in his interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo talked about his rapport with Messi and said, “Amazing player is magic, top… As a person, we share the stage 16 years, imagine, 16 years. we share. So, I have great relationship with him. I’m not friend of him in terms of, what I mean friend is the guy who was with you in your house, speaking on the phone, no, but it’s like a teammate.” He also expressed his wish of them having dinner together one day.

Needless to say, no one saw this coming. And now, we cannot wait to see if the two come face to face against each other in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

(Featured Image Credits: Twitter @louisvuitton)