Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will lock horns with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the upcoming Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Termed ‘The Last Dance’ football match, the Al-Nassr vs Inter Miami friendly game is slated to be played at the Kingdom Arena Stadium in Riyadh on February 1, 2024. The match will start at 11:30 PM IST (9 PM Saudi Arabia Standard Time).
The Riyadh Season Cup is part of Inter Miami’s pre-season preparation which will also mark their first-ever international tour.
Before the Al-Nassr game, Inter Miami will begin their Riyadh Season Cup campaign against Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal SFC at the Kingdom Arena on January 29, 2024. It will be staged in a round-robin tournament format.
Adding a stop to our Preseason International Tour📍🌏
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 11, 2023
We will play two matches in Saudi Arabia in the Riyadh Season Cup as part of our first-ever international tour!
In a round-robin tournament format, we will take on Saudi powerhouses Al-Hilal SFC and Al Nassr FC on Monday,… pic.twitter.com/Xi9M0QApLi
Meanwhile, Al-Hilal is expected to miss the services of their Brazilian talisman Neymar, who has undergone surgery for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee.
In January 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr after his second spell with Manchester United.
Since joining Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has been in sensational form, having netted 40 goals in 47 matches.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi rejected a move to Saudi Arabia to join Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami in July 2023. He signed a two-and-a-half year contract.
Messi later guided Inter Miami to their first ever trophy after helping them clinch the Leagues Cup 2023.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 winner finished his first season for Inter Miami with 11 goals in 14 matches.
Messi and Ronaldo have clashed against each other on 35 occasions so far for their respective clubs. The Argentine talisman holds an edge with 16 victories while Ronaldo has won 10 encounters.
In those fixtures, Messi has scored 21 goals and provided 12 assists while Ronaldo registered 20 goals and one assist.
Earlier in January 2023, Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain beat Ronaldo-led Riyadh All-Star 5-4 at King Fahd Stadium in a friendly.
The upcoming Riyadh Season Cup clash is expected to be the last meeting between Messi and Ronaldo.
Photo credit: Alamy
