THERE will be another battle between two of the world’s greatest footballers, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in February when their clubs meet in a friendly match.
Messi’s Inter Miami announced overnight that they will play Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Al-Hilal in January and February next year.
“Inter Miami CF announced today that it will travel to Saudi Arabia during 2024 pre-season to participate in the Riyadh Season Cup as part of the Club’s first-ever international tour,” the Major League Soccer club stated.
“The team will play two matches in the country in a round-robin tournament format, taking on Saudi powerhouses Al-Hilal SFC and Al Nassr FC.”
Messi, 36, joined Inter Miami in July after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired, while 38-year-old Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr last December after falling out with Manchester United and having his contract cancelled.
“This is another major opportunity to create lasting relationships with passionate fans. We are excited to connect with new supporters in Saudi Arabia, and also hope people all over the world will be tuning in to see a pair of dream matches like these,” said Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami CF Chief Business Officer.
“These matches will offer important tests for our team, which will benefit us as we approach the new season. We’re excited for our group to get the chance to go up against teams with as much quality as Al-Hilal and Al Nassr,” added Chris Henderson, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director.
Inter Miami will first take on Saudi Arabia’s most successful club and current Pro League leaders Al-Hilal at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Monday, January 29.
The match against Ronaldo and Al Nassr is billed for Thursday, February 1, at the Kingdom Arena.
Messi and Ronaldo are widely regarded as the best players of their generation, with 13 Ballon d’Or titles between them (Messi with eight of them), and they had a fierce rivalry when they played for Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively for nine seasons.
They have faced each other 35 times in their careers, with Messi claiming 16 wins to Ronaldo’s 10, and nine draws between them.
In those matches, Messi has registered 21 goals and 12 assists, while Ronaldo has 20 goals and one assist.
