Football’s GOAT debate may have already been settled, but Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami CF is keen to leave zero doubt in the minds of fans as it formally announces two 2024 preseason matches: one against the currently injured Neymar‘s Al-Hilal SFC, one against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr FC. Both taking place in Saudi Arabia.
As part of its preseason international tour, the Major League Soccer franchise is set to compete against the Saudi Pro League powerhouses in a round-robin tournament dubbed the Riyadh Season Cup; which is set to be hosted at the renowned Kingdom Arena (Riyadh). And suffice it to say, the story practically writes itself.
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Beyond the race to “complete” football by collecting every accolade worth a damn — something which Messi ostensibly achieved at the 2022 FIFA World Cup — the Argentinian superstar and historic eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has faced his Portuguese career rival a total of 35 times.
Throughout those 35 occasions, Messi has claimed 16 victories to Ronaldo’s 10 with nine draws between them. In terms of goals, the former recorded 21 with 12 assists while the latter registered 20 along with a single assist.
“This is another major opportunity to create lasting relationships with passionate fans. We are excited to connect with new supporters in Saudi Arabia, and also hope people all over the world will be tuning in to see a pair of dream matches like these,” stated Xavier Asensi, Chief Business Officer at Inter Miami CF.
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Chris Henderson, Inter Miami’s Chief Soccer Officer & Sporting Director, added: “These matches will offer important tests for our team, which will benefit us as we approach the new season. We’re excited for our group to get the chance to go up against teams with as much quality as Al-Hilal and Al Nassr.”
Inter Miami CF vs Al-Hilal is scheduled to go down on January 29th, 2024 at 9 PM Saudi Arabia Standard Time; while the latest showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) kicks off on February 1st, 2024 — also at 9 PM Saudi Arabia Standard Time.
You can reserve tickets for these matches via the WeBook application below.
