Carlos Tevez’s farewell event is set to feature Lionel Messi and a host of Boca Juniors and Argentina legends, with the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo joining them at La Bombonera on Sunday, 20 December.
What was initially billed as a testimonial match has developed into a major football and entertainment event, with Tevez selecting a line-up of celebrated former team-mates and international stars for his final appearance.
Argentine website Infobae has revealed the first details of the guest list ahead of an official announcement regarding Ronaldo. The event is titled “From ball boy to legend” and will also include a large music concert featuring performers chosen by Tevez, including La Mona Jimenez and Pablo Lescano.
Messi and Boca icons set to feature
Tevez confirmed in an interview with Rio Ferdinand that his close friend Juan Roman Riquelme will attend, along with Messi. The pair played together for Argentina from Messi’s international debut in 2005 through to the era of manager Tata Martino.
The farewell will also bring together members of Boca Juniors’ 2003 Intercontinental Cup-winning side, managed by club great Carlos Bianchi. Martin Palermo, Sebastian Battaglia, Nicolas Burdisso and Diego Cagna are among those confirmed.
Other expected Boca names include Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Marcelo Delgado, Roberto Abbondanzieri, Daniele De Rossi, Fernando Gago and Leandro Paredes.
Several former Argentina internationals are also due to take part. Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Esteban Cambiasso and Gabriel Batistuta have confirmed their attendance, while Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria, Maxi Rodriguez and Ezequiel Lavezzi are among those still awaited.
Ronaldo possibility attracts attention
Tevez has also assembled a notable international group, including Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, his former team-mate at Juventus, and former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Arturo Vidal and Patrice Evra, described as one of Tevez’s closest friends in football, are also expected to appear. The “Tevez Friends” or “Rest of the World” team will be managed by former Italy boss Roberto Mancini and face the Boca Juniors legends.
The biggest question concerns Ronaldo. Tevez has said: “I will call Cristiano myself.”
Ronaldo is due to finish his season with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr on 14 December and is not expected to return to competitive action until February 2026 in the AFC Champions League, making an appearance possible.
Messi, meanwhile, will hope to have completed the MLS final with Inter Miami, scheduled for 18 December, before travelling to Argentina.
If the two players do take the field together, it would be the first time in history they have played for the same team. They have faced one another internationally twice, and also met in the 2023 Riyadh Season when Paris Saint-Germain beat a team of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal players led by Ronaldo 5-4.
Tickets are expected to go on sale soon. Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini, Paul Pogba, Park Ji-sung, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Ferdinand are among further names being considered, alongside tennis player Juan Martin del Potro and Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto.