"Clash of titans" to return to football pitch in Riyadh

Two of football’s all-time greats are likely to meet on the pitch in Riyadh when Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint Germain (PSG) takes on players from Al Nassr, who recently signed Cristiano Ronaldo, and Al Hilal.

The friendly match between the French club and an all-star team made up of players from the two top Saudi teams will take place on January 19 at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, PSG said in a statement, Al Arabiya English reports.

PSG will be stopping in Doha before the match to train at the Khalifa Stadium, which hosted several 2022 World Cup matches.

Ronaldo was signed to Al Nassr for a two-and-a-half-year contract that was announced on December 31 following his exit from Manchester United.

The Portuguese superstar has not yet played for the Riyadh-based club.

Lionel Messi, coming off his team’s first World Cup victory that cemented his status as one of the sport’s greatest-ever players, last faced Ronaldo in December of 2020 when Barcelona played Juventus in a UEFA champions league match.

In that game, Ronaldo’s Juventus beat Messi’s Barcelona 3-0, with two goals scored by Ronaldo.

The 38-year-old striker, who has moved to Riyadh with his wife and children, is also considered by many to be the greatest footballer active today.

The rivalry between the pair is fierce, and while Ronaldo has scored more goals overall than Messi, the Argentine has more assists.

Al Nassr President Musalli al-Muammar dismissed media reports estimating that Ronaldo was paid hundreds of millions of dollars for the signing.