Ronaldo vs Messi on Saudi Arabian soil: Here's what happened when the legends clashed last time
Cristiano Ronaldo's first game on Saudi Arabian soil is expected to come against arch-rival Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain when the French giants take on a combined XI of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal stars in a friendly exhibition on January 19.
FollowLegendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed for Al-Nassr earlier this month, is likely to debut on Saudi Arabian soil against arch-rival Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on January 19. The French giants will face a combined XI of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal stars in the friendly Riyadh Season Cup at the King Fahd International Stadium, which has sparked massive excitement among the fans of two of the greatest players in the sport.
The Portuguese talisman, whose contract with Al-Nassr runs until 2025, is yet to debut in the Saudi Pro League. He is currently serving a pending 2-match FA ban over the infamous incident at Everton last season following Manchester United's loss at Goodison Park.Â
Ronaldo completed a move to Al-Nassr following the mutual termination of his contract at Old Trafford following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan where he slammed the club and manager Erik ten Hag.
Admitting that the 37-year-old striker's first appearance on Saudi Arabian soil could come for the friendly Riyadh Season Cup match against PSG, coach Rudi Garcia had said, "It [his debut] won't be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr."
"As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later," the Frenchman added.
"In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it's not a big deal... We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it," Garcia remarked.
As fans gear up to watch a Ronaldo vs Messi clash, we revisit what happened when the two legends clashed against each other the last time.
Over the years, the Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry has produced some memorable clashes, including the 2009 Champions League final, where the former Barcelona legend scored what he believes is his best goal ever. There is also the 5-0, the outstanding single goal in the semifinals of the Champions League 2010, the famous last-second victory and celebration at the Bernabeu, and so on.
But one clash that fans of the two legends will remember to date is the last time the former Juventus striker and Barcelona icon faced each other on December 8, 2020, during their Champions League Group G stage match at Camp Nou.
Barcelona was comprehensively beaten by Juventus 3-0 in a game that witnessed Ronaldo score two penalties on either side of the interval, with Weston McKennie scoring the third. Barcelona had seven shots on target against the Italian giants, all saved by the legendary Gianluigi Buffon. Messi had every single one and was constantly involved in the game, with 125 touches. However, he ended up on the losing side in a clash that saw Ronaldo only have 51 touches.
Messi outperformed Ronaldo and was arguably the greatest player on the field in the 2020 clash. But history remembers the winners, and it will be interesting to see what transpires if the two legends face each other on Saudi Arabian soil. Will Ronaldo fans witness a 'Siuuu' celebration on January 19, or will Messi supporters see the PSG star continue his dream run - only time will tell.
