It was a highly anticipated affair. Billed as the ultimate clash of the titans -- even though a friendly game -- the Riyadh Season Cup 2024, pre-season match between Al Nassr and Inter Miami had the mouthwatering prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo facing off against Lionel Messi on a football pitch for the first time since they left Europe for Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, respectively. (More Football News)
But while the teams will lock horns on Thursday, February 1, 2024, the duel between Ronaldo and Messi will unfortunately not materialize. The Portuguese football icon is recuperating from a left-calf injury and is still not fit enough to take part in the exciting contest.
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Al Nassr coach Luis Castro cleared the air on Wednesday, disappointing millions of fans worldwide. “We will not see [Messi vs Ronaldo], Ronaldo is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days you can start working with the team. He will be absent from the game,” Castro said.
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Many feel this could have been the 'last dance', as in the last opportunity to witness the two titans of the sport compete against each other, considering their advanced ages. Ronaldo turns 39 in February and Messi will be 37 years old in July.
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Messi and Ronaldo share a staggering 13 Ballon d'Or trophies between them, with the former winning the honour a record eight times. In the days gone by, the duo partook in a blockbuster rivalry while playing for their respective clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, with games between the teams often lending themselves to incredible exhibitions of the two's unparalleled ability with the ball.
