First Time Ever: Messi and Ronaldo Appear Together in Louis Vuitton Campaign

Eternal rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have appeared together for the first time ever in an advertising campaign, facing off in a game of chess for Louis Vuitton.

Messi and Ronaldo Feature in Ad Together for the First Time

It's probably fair to say that Messi and Ronaldo have the biggest and most high profile individual rivalry in football. Two of the greatest of all time whose careers have overlapped almost perfectly. Often depicted as enemies with opposing personalities, the fact that for a large chunk of their careers they played on opposite sides of the Clasico divide added to that narrative.

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Of course, their roles as the faces of Adidas and Nike respectively have seen each of them put in the spotlight countless times for advertising campaigns, always as the main attraction. That's without mentioning the dozens of other brands that they've endorsed over the years, as it didn't take long for companies to realise that having one or the other guaranteed lots of publicity and recognition.

Now, for the first time ever, they have appeared along side each other in an advert, sitting face to face over a game of chess and contemplating their next moves. Shot by the legendary Annie Liebovitz for Louis Vuitton and shared on social media by both players, it's a very simple photo, but combined with the timing of the launch and the many metaphors presented, it makes for an excellent bit of marketing by the luxury fashion house.

Two old masters playing a game of strategy, much like they are about to do in what is very probably their last chance at winning the World Cup, the only prize which has eluded them both so far in their glittering careers. The monotonous debates over who is better will continue long into the future, and if one of them manages to lift the trophy on December 18th, it will weigh heavily in their favour in that regard.

Messi has recently stated that he may not play much longer and the rumours of a return to Barcelona are still swirling, as is talk of a move to the MLS. Ronaldo effectively got himself sacked by Man United with his Piers Morgan interview (in which he spoke highly of Messi), which won't exactly have made a good impression on the few prospective employers he may have. Both players will have a lot of contemplating to do before deciding on their club futures and assuring they leave the best possible legacy.

Before turning their attention to their club football however, there is the intriguing possibility of a Portugal vs Argentina World Cup final, and plenty of games for them to focus on in order to get there. Do you think either one of them will finally complete their trophy collection next month?

What do you think of Messi and Ronaldo appearing together for the first time like this? Comment below.