Prospect of Messi vs Neymar excites fans as Argentina to play Brazil in MCG blockbuster

In what has sparked massive excitement among football enthusiasts, Argentina and Brazil are set to face each other at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for a June 11 showdown, ahead of this year's World Cup in Qatar.

On Wednesday, the Victorian government confirmed the 'Superclasico' would be played at the iconic Melbourne stadium, five years after the world football giants packed it out with more than 95,000 fans for a friendly.

"To have two of the most successful football teams in the world return to the MCG to continue their longstanding rivalry reinforces our position as one of the world's great sporting cities and Australia's event capital," Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said.

"Football is known as the world game, and a match of this calibre will put millions of eyes on Melbourne and attract thousands of visitors to Victoria," Pakula added.

This announcement has kindled immense excitement among fans as they now look forward to a mouth-watering contest between the legendary Lionel Messi and Neymar. The two football legends are currently teammates in Paris Saint-Germain, and hence the thought of a rivalry between the two has got supporters elated. Here's a look at some of the reactions on Twitter:

The previous clash between the two South American football powerhouses, a World Cup qualifier in Sao Paula in September, was called off just minutes into the game when play was abruptly stopped due to Covid-19 concerns involving four visiting players.

With both Argentina and Brazil set to participate in the Qatar 2022 showpiece event, the Melbourne clash in June should provide Messi and Neymar with another international stage to showcase their exceptional skills.

In 2017, a lone goal was enough to give Argentina victory over Brazil, while ten years earlier, Messi helped the Albiceleste defeat the Socceroos 1-0 at the MCG.