Cristiano Ronaldo to captain Saudi All-Star XI in friendly against Messi’s PSG

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], January 17 (ANI): After going to Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo is almost certain to play in his first game, and it may pit him against Lionel Messi in a friendly game between the Saudi All-Star XI and Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, as reported by GOAL.com.

As per GOAL.com, on January 19, PSG will play a Saudi All-Star XI made up of players from Al-Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s new team, Al-Nassr, as part of a midseason tour. It might mark the first occasion since December 2020 that two of the greatest players in history face off against one another.

Ronaldo might make his Saudi Arabia debut in this match, and what better to debut than against longtime adversary Messi. Although it should go without saying that Ronaldo would captain any all-star team, his recent move to the Middle East may make his new team reluctant to take a chance on him given that they have a league game three days after the rumoured date the competition will take place.

Ronaldo is scheduled to make his Saudi Pro League debut after serving a two-match suspension imposed by the English Football Association in November for knocking a phone out of an Everton fan’s hand during a match against Manchester United at Goodison Park last season. Ronaldo signed a 2.5-year contract worth USD 75 million a year with Al Nassr on December 30.

According to FIFA regulations, in the case that a player is transferred to another nation before serving the entirety of a suspension, the suspension must still be served by the player. Following the termination of Ronaldo’s Manchester United contract during the World Cup, the suspension was made official.