When Paris Saint-Germain and the Saudi All-Star XI play one other on Thursday in Riyadh, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head. Since their Champions League match between Juventus and Barcelona in December 2020, the two stars haven’t faced off against one another. Messi and Ronaldo enter the game with quite different records on the international football stage. After winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar almost a month ago, Argentina legend returns to the Middle East.
Tickets have just gone on sale for PSG’s trip to Riyadh to play a combined Al-Nassr/Al-Hilal XI. Game takes place on January 19 and will likely see Ronaldo vs. Messi. 350,000 fans currently queuing to try and get a ticket. PSG will fly in on January 18 and out day after the game. pic.twitter.com/nti2NO8Tjk
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) January 8, 2023
Ronaldo, on the other hand, will play his first match after the World Cup, where he scored just one goal – from the spot – and ended the WC campaign out of the starting lineup in the last two games for Portugal.
This will be the first clash between the two football greats where both are not from European sides. Ronaldo, after an illustrious career, spanning from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United over 20 years, chose to move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr on a two-and-half year deal, reportedly worth USD 200 million.
Ronaldo vs Messi: When will Cristiano Ronaldo make his debut for Al Nassr?
The 37-year-old will face off against PSG, which has legends likeLionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar, in his first game in Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in the first week of January, but because the league requires international players to register by a certain date, he was registered after that date. Al Nassr had to cancel Vincent Aboubakar’s contract to register the Portuguese because it already had a complete list. In addition, Ronaldo was serving a two-game suspension from the English Football Association for striking an Everton supporter while playing for Manchester United in November 2022.
Ronaldo vs Messi: Will Messi play against Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia?
After the World Cup, on January 4, Lionel Messi returned to PSG’s training facility and has started each of the team’s games since. The Argentine will try to turn things around for PSG against Ronaldo after a shocking loss to Rennes in the previous game. The 35-year-old World Cup champion is anticipated to start against his former rival Ronaldo even though Paris Saint-Germain has not yet revealed the final lineups.
Ronaldo vs Messi: How high are the ticket demands for the Saudi All-Star XI vs PSG?
Online ticket demand for the much-awaited matchup, which will take place at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, reportedly exceeded two million. In an auction that is scheduled to expire later on Tuesday, the price for a VIP “Beyond Imagination” ticket to the game has already surpassed 10 million riyals ($2.66 million). The fact that Messi helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, the final title in his extensive trophy collection, has added to the game’s allure for spectators.
Where and where will the PSG vs Saudi All Star XI be played featuring Messi and Ronaldo?
The King Fahd Stadium in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, will host the friendly match between PSG and the Saudi All Star XI, which will feature Messi and Ronaldo legends. The match is slated to begin at 10:30 IST. (8:30 p.m. Saudi time)
