Messi is eager to face Ronaldo.

On social media, Lionel Messi expressed his anticipation for the opportunity to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the Riyadh Cup friendly tournament on February 1st.

"I'm looking forward to participating in the Riyadh Cup with Inter Miami. We'll be facing top clubs from Saudi Arabia," Messi wrote on Instagram in English and Spanish.

The Riyadh Cup is a friendly tournament featuring three teams: two clubs from the host country, Saudi Arabia – Al Hilal and Al Nassr – and Inter Miami. The American team will play Al Hilal on January 29th and then Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo's team, on February 1st. Both matches will take place at the Kingdom Stadium in Riyadh.

For many fans, the upcoming Inter Miami - Al Nassr match could be the last time they see Messi face Ronaldo, as they are both past their prime. While Messi only returned to training with Inter Miami earlier this week, Ronaldo is enjoying the mid-season break in the Saudi Pro League, where Al Nassr is currently second, 7 points behind Al Hilah.

Messi and Ronaldo during a friendly match between PSG and the Riyadh All-Stars at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 19, 2023. Photo: AFP

After moving to Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi immediately helped the club win their first title, the Leagues Cup, and reach the final of the MLS National Cup. As a result, he was voted Inter Miami's Player of the Season and finished second in the MLS Rookie of the Year poll.

The 2024 MLS season is scheduled to begin at the end of February. After their tour in Riyadh, Inter Miami will fly to Hong Kong for another tour before returning to the US. Sporting Director Chris Henderson said that these friendly matches will help Inter Miami better prepare for the new season.

Including friendlies, Messi and Ronaldo have competed against each other 37 times, with Messi's team winning 17, drawing 9, and losing 11. In these matches, both players scored 23 goals. However, if we only consider the two main competitions, La Liga and the Champions League, the Argentine superstar has scored 15 goals, four more than the Portuguese captain.

The last time the two superstars clashed was also in a friendly, when Messi and PSG faced a Riyadh All-Stars team that included Ronaldo in January 2023. The 38-year-old striker scored a brace in that match, but his team still lost to PSG 4-5.

The Riyadh Cup is part of the Riyadh Season, a sports and entertainment festival established in 2019, taking place from October to March of the following year. The Spanish and Italian Super Cups will also be brought to Riyadh for competition in January 2024.

Duy Doan (according to Goal )

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