Messi vs Ronaldo on the cards as Inter Miami confirm pre-season Saudi tour | Football News
The MLS club will play Saudi clubs Al Hilal (January 29) and Al Nassr (February 1) in Riyadh, before travelling to Hong Kong during their pre-season tour.
A showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is on the cards after Inter Miami confirmed details of two upcoming friendlies in Saudi Arabia during their pre-season tour next year.
The Major League Soccer club had already announced plans for the team to face Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in Riyadh, without confirming a date.
Familiar foes Messi and Ronaldo are set to meet at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on February 1, after taking on Saudi powerhouses Al Hilal at the same venue on January 29.
Messi and Ronaldo, who have faced each other more than 30 times in their careers, have won 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them, with the Argentinian leading that race eight to five.
Messi received an offer to play in the Saudi league after leaving Paris Saint-Germain but opted to sign with Miami, where he led the team to a trophy in the Leagues Cup and sent ticket prices skyrocketing.
‘Major opportunity’
The Riyadh Season Cup – a three-team round-robin tournament – will give Messi the chance to lock horns once again with Ronaldo in the latest instalment of a rivalry that has spanned decades, stretching back to their first meeting in 2008.
“This is another major opportunity to create lasting relationships with passionate fans,” Inter Miami chief business officer Xavier Asensi said in a press release on Monday.
“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.”
Adding a stop to our Preseason International Tour📍🌏
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
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 11, 2023
It is Inter Miami’s first international tour, which will also include stops in El Salvador and Hong Kong, where they will play a team made up from the Chinese territory’s First Division on February 4.
The team will then head back to the US for the start of the MLS season later in February.
