It was the scene of the sublime. The last time Lionel Messi and Hugo Lloris faced each other, they were rival captains in arguably one of the greatest FIFA World Cup finals of them all.

In the white-hot atmosphere of Lusail Stadium at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the Argentinian maestro was looking to win the one major trophy that had eluded him over his illustrious career. Meanwhile, France captain Lloris was aiming to become the first player to lead his national team to two men's World Cups.

Over the course of an unforgettable evening in Qatar, the match surpassed all expectations with Messi getting the better of Lloris — and cementing his status as one of the world's greatest-ever players — as Argentina held their nerve in the penalty shootout after a thrilling 3-3 draw to claim the FIFA World Cup.

"Given how the match panned out, the magnitude of it all and the emotional rollercoaster we went on, it took quite a while to come to terms with it," Lloris told FIFA in an exclusive interview in 2024.

Almost two and a half years later, Messi and Lloris are ready to renew their rivalry in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC will meet in the first leg of their quarter-finals in the City of Angels on April 2 before heading back to South Florida for the return fixture a week later.

Messi has missed a number of games recently for both club and country through rest and then injury but it appears he is ready for the reunion with Lloris this week. The Inter Miami forward came off the bench to score in the 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Union at the weekend.

Over the course of his career, Lloris has got the better of Messi before, most notably at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia when France defeated Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 on the way to lifting the coveted trophy. But Lloris is all-too aware of the danger that Messi still poses. 

"I prepare especially when I play against Leo. And it's always a very difficult task," Lloris told La Nacion. "Besides, there are very good players at Inter Miami... there's also Luis Suarez, [Sergio] Busquets, Jordi Alba, etc. You have to prepare, without a doubt.

"I could never keep Messi's jersey… I have a lot of admiration for Leo. For me, he's at the top of the list of the best players, without a doubt. I'm from the generation that got to watch and play against Leo."