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And so again the world legends collide. Those moments that every football lover craves are coming again.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will play on different continents in 2023. The two all-time greats of the sport can square off one again on January 19. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will play a friendly match against the combined eleven of Al Nassr and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Messi extended his contract with PSG by one year, while Ronaldo signed the richest football contract in history with the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. It was not possible for the duo to participate against one another at the FIFA World Cup in 2022 as fans had planned. It may happen, though, if PSG travels to Saudi Arabia in January 2023.
The matchup between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been eagerly anticipated by fans. While playing in La Liga for Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two players frequently faced off against one another. The likelihood of a confrontation between two superstars has significantly decreased since both players relocated outside of Spain. But in the first month of 2023, fans can once more see the contemporary greats in action.
In a friendly match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and players from Al Nassr FC and Al Hilal, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to square off and continue their storied rivalry.
According to MARCA, the friendly game will take place on January 19. According to RMC Sport, the match was supposed to be a part of PSG’s midseason tour of Saudi Arabia last year but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ronaldo is in Riyadh, finishing off his sensational transfer to Al Nassr. On Tuesday, the illustrious forward will be introduced as an Al-Nassr player (January 3).
Ronaldo has surpassed all other players in terms of salary, with the Saudi club projecting that he will make about £173 million annually.
Date of Al-Nasr vs. PSG
A friendly game between Messi’s team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Al Nassr is reportedly scheduled for January 19, 2023. It might be one of the last club-level confrontations between Ronaldo and Messi.
The Parisians have a contractual duty to play the game, which was first planned for last year. However, because of COVID-19 worries, it was postponed to coincide with PSG’s midseason tour of Saudi Arabia in 2022–2023.
Several former Ligue 1 players are currently on the roster of Rudi Garcia’s Al Nassr team, including David Ospina, Alvaro Gonzalez, Luiz Gustavo, and Vincent Aboubakar.
Ronaldo anticipates his new challenge in Saudi Arabia, but Messi, who just masterminded Argentina’s victory at the FIFA World Cup, is expected to return to PSG following his international successes. Both Ronaldo and the Argentine attacker are expected to play in the friendly. Football fans across the world may line up to see both players play if they are healthy enough.
Since the pair was nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2007, Ronaldo and Messi have written history in a fierce rivalry. Messi has won seven Ballon d’Ors, compared to Ronaldo’s five. Messi, meanwhile, has cemented his status as the “GOAT” of football following the World Cup victory.
Following several days of speculation, Al Nassr announced the historic signature of the Portuguese icon on their social media accounts on Friday, December 30.Cristiano Ronaldo joined the team as a free agent when his contract with Manchester United was mutually cancelled.
Ronaldo vs. Messi:
The year 2023 couldn’t have started any better for football fans all over the world. Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi, one of the great on-field football rivalries, may be coming to an end, but not before one final clash between these two football legends. Messi’s PSG will play a mixed XI against Al Hilal and Al Nassr in a friendly match in Saudi Arabia. The latter officially signed Cristiano Ronaldo to a two-year deal worth a record €200 million. The contest is expected to happen on January 19.
It should go without saying that if Messi and Ronaldo are both invited to play, this may be their final opportunity to face off before retiring. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a postponement of the match, which had been scheduled to begin in 2022.
Consequently, Messi, who would be anticipated to participate given that he is scheduled to report to practise with his club on Tuesday, might end their long-running feud at precisely the wrong time for everyone. The recently crowned World Cup champion will play again on January 11 when PSG plays Angers at Parc des Princes. He or she will then depart for Saudi Arabia with the remainder of the squad. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelafi is eager to grow the PSG brand in the Middle East, despite the fact that it hasn’t been officially confirmed. He has recently made multiple trips to Qatar to promote the nation ahead of the World Cup, during which he has earned considerable sponsorship income.
Who all is there to help Ronaldo?
However, the All-Stars XI may also include a few exceptional athletes, such as a former Manchester United attacker and an ex-Arsenal goalkeeper. The latter is none other than David Ospina, Ronaldo’s brand-new Al Nassr teammate. Before relocating from Naples to Saudi Arabia over the summer, he spent his first four years in the Emirates.
Mohammed Al-Breik and Ali Al-Bulaihi, two seasoned Saudi Arabian defenders, were a key component of the All-Stars’ defense. They would also be joined by Ivorian Ghislain Konan and former Villarreal and Marseille player Alvaro Gonzalez. Talisca, a former superstar for Benfica, and Luiz Gustavo, a Champions League champion for Bayern Munich, will probably play in the centre of the field. Third place might go to Saudi Arabia’s Musab Al-Juwayr, a World Cup rookie.
Up top, where Ronaldo plays one of the front-three positions, is when things for the All-Star squad truly start to become intriguing. He will be joined by Odion Ighalo, a favourite of United supporters who spent a year on loan at Old Trafford. In that period, Ighalo scored five goals. The final spot would probably go to Vincent Aboubakar, a former comrade at Porto who narrowly defeated Moussa Marega. The formidable All-Star XI would surely contend with PSG if the two clubs faced off this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal has joined Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia.
