Ronaldo Likely To Face ‘Rival’ Messi In January 19 Friendly

Cristiano Ronaldo may have the opportunity of playing against his greatest football rival, Lionel Messi, on January 19 when a selected team comprising of Al Nassr and Al Hilal face European giants, Paris Saint Germain in a friendly match in Riyadh.

Messi is eight-time winner of the Ballon D’Or trophy while Ronaldo has scooped the prize on five occasions.

Both players are regarded as the greatest of this era, but Messi is widely considered as a bigger player after helping his country, Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Messi has also been ranked as the ‘Greatest of all times’ by his supporters, an assertion that is opposed by those who saw the late Edson Arantes dos Nascimento (Pele) and Diego Armando Maradona play.

Ronaldo was unveiled by the Saudi club last week but is currently on two-game suspension after kicking a fan’s phone during the Manchester United Premier League game against Everton in April 2022.

The 37-year-old Portuguese football icon missed Al Nassr’s game on Friday due to his two-game suspension.

Al Nassr’s coach, Luis Garcia has confirmed that Ronaldo is likely to play.

“It [Ronaldo’s debut] won’t be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr,” Garcia said according to L’Equipe.

The Al Nassr coach added that the following week, January 22, against Ettifaq, Ronaldo will play for Al Nassr for the first time in the Saudi Pro League.

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Ronaldo who agreed to a rich contract with the Saudi club that runs through 2025 is reportedly paid more than £177 million per year and is the world’s highest paid footballer.

Al Nassr’s next league match is against Al Shabab on Saturday,, January 14.

In light of Ronaldo’s terrible two-month period, which included the termination of his United contract and Portugal’s elimination from the World Cup quarterfinals, Garcia expressed his optimism that Ronaldo may regain his love of the game.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus forward quit Manchester United after a contentious interview with British journalist, Piers Morgan, in which he berated his former coach, Erik ten Hag, and the club, Manchester United.