The last time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo met as rivals on the pitch was in January 2023, in a Paris Saint-Germain vs Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal combined team friendly. Messi's PSG won the match 5-4 against the Ronaldo-led side. But on Thursday (February 1, 2024), Messi's team, this time Inter Miami, were down 3-0 inside the 12th minute even as the two global stars conspicuously missed the action. (More Football News)
Billed as the 'Last Dance', the Al-Nassr vs Inter Miami clash at the celebratory Riyadh Season Cup 2024 was dealt with an early blow as Ronaldo was named a non-starter due to injury on the eve of the match. Then, minutes before the kick-off, as Ronaldo charmed the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh with his presence, news arrived that Messi would not also take the field, apparently at the advice of physicians.
Reports claimed that the Argentine had an MRI hours before the kick-off, apparently to monitor the discomfort the former Barcelona star felt during Miami's first game against Al-Hilal. But the Major League Soccer side amended their team sheet, and there, Messi was on the bench.
The last dance started with the two protagonists sitting on different levels, inside different enclosures. But it took only three minutes to open the scoring. By the 12th minute, it became 3-0 in favour of Saudi Pro League pace-setters Al-Nassr -- with the goals scored by Otavio, Talisca and Aymeric Laporte.
Ronaldo, who's recovering from a reported calf injury, also had the best view and the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star joined the celebrations, from the stands.
Otavio, Ronaldo's Portuguese compatriot, opened the scoring with a clinical finish from close range -- a sumptuous curler which found the top corner. In the 10th minute, Brazilian midfielder Talisca completed yet another brilliant team move, slotting home a minus, to make it 2-0.
A couple of minutes later, former Manchester City player Laporte produced a wonder strike from their own half to beat a rather adventurous Drake Callender.
Eight minutes were added to the half, and the score remained 3-0 at the break. Was a Messi-rescue act coming?
Al-Nassr Vs Inter Miami Playing XIs
Al-Nassr XI: David Ospina, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Aymeric Laporte, Alex Telles, Fahad Al-Swailem, Otavio, Marcelo Brozovic, Talisca, Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa, Mohammed Maran.
Inter Miami XI: Drake Callender, Julian Gressel, Tomas Aviles, Serhiy Kryvtsov, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba, Gregore, Sergio Busquets, David Ruiz, Luis Suarez, Leonardo Campana.
