Miami next games are scheduled to play Al-Hilal at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on January 29 and Al-Nassr at the same location on February 1.
The Major League Soccer franchise announced on Monday that Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami would play two games in Saudi Arabia early in the upcoming season, one of which will be against Ronaldo and his team Al-Nassr, a familiar opponent.
The team’s first international tour includes stops in El Salvador and Hong Kong in addition to the three-team round-robin Riyadh Season Cup.
Xavier Asensi, the chief commercial officer of Inter Miami, stated in a press release, “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.”
Over the course of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo have squared off more than thirty times. Between them, they have won thirteen Ballon d’Or honours; Messi leads that competition eight to five.
After leaving Paris Saint-Germain, Messi received an offer to play in the Saudi league, but he decided to sign with Miami instead, where he helped the team win the Leagues Cup and skyrocketed ticket prices.
The Epic Rivalry Continues: Inter Miami and Al-Nassr Set to Battle it Out in Riyadh Season Cup
Messi vs Ronaldo: Inter Miami officially announced on Monday, December 11, that they will compete in the Riyadh Season Cup in 2024. This means that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will play each other, possibly for the last time in their careers. On November 21, Saudi officials made the tournament official announcement, however it was not yet known if Inter Miami would participate.
On February 1, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, football fans will have the opportunity to watch a match between two of the greatest football players of all time, thanks to recent events. In the three-team round-robin competition, Messi’s Inter Miami will play Al Hilal on January 29, 2024, and Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on a later date.
This is a portion of Inter Miami’s global tour, which also stopped at Hong Kong and El Salvador. On January 19, 2024, the team will play the El Salvador national team. In February 2024, the team will play a team made up of the best players in Hong Kong.
The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dates back to 2010, when Ronaldo was signing a contract to join Real Madrid and Messi was rising to prominence at Barcelona FC under manager Pep Guardiola.
These two contemporary football heroes have been among the most prolific ballers over the last 15 years. They lit up football fields whenever they faced off in the El Classico for over ten years.
With 451 goals in 438 appearances for Real Madrid and 672 goals in 778 for Barcelona, respectively, Ronaldo and Messi lead the goal scorers for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively.
They have played each other more than thirty times for their clubs and countries combined, and Messi has won the most Ballon d’Or awards with eight.
As they approach the twilight of their careers, Ronaldo signed with the Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United, and Messi signed with the MLS club Inter Miami this year after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi Makes History: Argentine Legend Claims Record Eighth Ballon d’Or, Beating Out Haaland and Mbappe
Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina and Inter Miami, took home a record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or, while Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona won the women’s award in a glamorous ceremony held in Paris, France.
Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina and Inter Miami, won the eighth Ballon d’Or prize in a dazzling ceremony held in Paris, France, setting a new record. Messi defeated Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain and Erling Haaland of Manchester City to take home the trophy.
The 36-year-old had a memorable season after winning the FIFA World Cup championship in Qatar the previous year. In 55 games in all competitions, Messi racked up 32 goals and 25 assists. He led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup victory this year and assisted PSG in winning the Ligue 1 championship in 2023–2023.
Messi helped Argentina win their third World Cup title in Qatar thanks to an outstanding World Cup performance. In seven games, he recorded seven goals and three assists. At the Lusail Stadium, Messi scored twice in the championship match to help Argentina defeat France on penalties after Mbappe had scored a hat-trick. In addition to receiving the Golden Ball, which is awarded to the top player in the competition, he was chosen Man of the Match in the championship match.
In addition, Messi made FIFA World Cup history by being the first player to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship game.
In contrast, Mbappe scored 41 goals and contributed 10 assists in 43 games for PSG in the previous campaign. As Manchester City became just the second English club to achieve the historic treble last season—winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League—Harland scored 52 goals and provided nine assists in 53 games.
