Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will face Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr in a blockbuster friendly in Saudi Arabia in February.
The game is billed as “The Last Dance” and is likely to be the final duel between two of the sport’s greats. No other date other than the game in February is currently known.
Messi, now 36, left most of his legacy with Barcelona, while Ronaldo, 38, reached similar heights at arch-rivals Real Madrid after moving from Manchester United in 2009.
The Inter Miami man was targeted by the Saudi league and was widely expected to follow Ronaldo there this year before ultimately deciding to join David Beckham’s Major League Soccer team.
Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr in December 2022 after a bitter parting ways with United during his second spell at the club.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play against Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia
The game is likely to be the last in which Messi and Ronaldo appeared on opposing teams
Ronaldo moved to the Saudi league with Al Nassr in December 2022 for a lot of money
Messi was expected to follow, but instead moved to Inter Miami and quickly won the League Cup
The Portuguese star will receive around $75 million per year on a contract that runs until 2025.
Messi would have earned a similar salary in the Saudi league – more than in the United States – but he still earns between $50 million and $60 million in Miami on a two-year contract with an option for a third season.
His deal is partly funded by adidas and Apple, with Messi receiving a share of jersey sales and Apple TV subscriptions to watch MLS.
Messi and his team failed to reach the MLS playoffs after a disastrous start to the season, but still won the Leagues Cup and reached the final of the US Open Cup.
In the game, Ronaldo will also face two other Barcelona favorites: Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who followed Messi to Miami.
And when the game comes around in February, Luis Suárez could also be there, as the striker has been heavily linked with a move from Brazilian side Gremio to the MLS side.
Ronaldo’s Al Nassr team includes former Liverpool and Bayern Munich attacker Sadio Mane, as well as former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, Ronaldo’s former United teammate Alex Telles and former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina.
Miami has long been discussed playing some lucrative friendlies abroad ahead of next year’s MLS season.
A postseason tour of China was canceled earlier this month and instead they played New York City FC at DRV PNK Stadium to celebrate Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or.
The Mas brothers, who own the club alongside Beckham, have also discussed arranging a friendly with Barcelona at the Nou Camp so Messi can say goodbye to fans on the pitch.
The debate over which of Messi and Ronaldo is better has polarized fans throughout their storied careers.
Messi won a World Cup with Argentina – Ronaldo didn’t with Portugal, but he won the European Championship in 2016. Messi also has a Copa America to his name.
However, Ronaldo has even more Champions League titles: he won the tournament five times, four times in Madrid and once in Manchester. Messi won the competition four times with Barcelona, but missed the 2006 final – the first of its kind – due to injury.
Messi won the Spanish LaLiga ten times in 16 seasons with Barcelona, while Ronaldo won it twice in nine years there.
In addition to Ronaldo’s five, Messi also has eight Ballon d’Ors. Messi’s most recent award this year was presented to him by Beckham at a ceremony in Paris.
Ronaldo sees himself as a trailblazer by joining the Saudi league – the first major star ever – and said back in July that the standard was better than what Messi has to contend with in the US.
“The Saudi league is better than the MLS,” Ronaldo said after his team lost 5-0 to Celta Vigo in a friendly.
“Now all the players come here. “In a year more top players will come to Saudi Arabia.”
Messi, meanwhile, said the lifestyle in the US was a key factor in his move to Miami.
“The people in this city and in this club made it easy for us,” said Messi in August about his move. “The fans, the people I meet every day on the streets of the city we are in now… it is a spectacular city and that is why I can live happily.”
“We’re in this adjustment period, the kids are going to school soon, and this will help complete that adjustment and get used to daily life.”
“It’s only a short period of time to complete the adaptation, but it was a lot easier than we thought.”