21 November 2023 , 18:15
1329
0
Inter Miami have issued a statement denying they have agreed to play a friendly against Al-Nassr in a game being dubbed 'The Last Dance' between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
An announcement was made regarding a friendly game between Inter Miami and Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in February 2024. The game would see Messi and Ronaldo face off for possibly the last time as both entire the closing stages of their careers.
But Inter Miami said in a statement: "Earlier today, an announcement was issued stating that Inter Miami CF is scheduled to play in the Riyadh Season Cup. This is inaccurate. The release included statements attributed to team owner Jorge Mas. Mas has made no comments, publicly or privately, in relation to the pre-season tour.
"Since day one, Inter Miami CF has set out to be a global brand. To this end, we have been in conversations to determine our 2024 preseason schedule. We look forward to showcasing our players on Inter Miami CF’s first international tour which will be announced in the coming weeks."
READ MORE: Kylian Mbappe makes his feelings on Lionel Messi winning Ballon d'Or empathically clear
Man Utd lose seven players and sign three as January transfer window closes
READ MORE: Lionel Messi to battle Cristiano Ronaldo, Mo Salah and Erling Haaland for best player award
Messi and Ronaldo last played against one another in a friendly back in January 2023, when the Argentine’s former team, PSG took on an Al Nassr-Al Hilal Saudi All-Star XI.
Messi scored the opening goal of the game and Ronaldo scored a brace, but PSG emerged 5-4 winners in a high-scoring affair. The pair faced each other numerous times throughout their illustrious careers, most of which came in La Liga after the Portuguese captain joined Real Madrid for £80 million in 2009.
His mega move came shortly after he was beaten by Messi and Barcelona in the Champions League final in Rome, which was the last game of his first spell for Manchester United. They engaged in some memorable El Classico matchups for almost a decade in which the duo both played in Spain.
The 38-year-old won two league titles along with two Copa del Rey crowns and four Champions League wins. The bulk of Messi’s great legacy was carved out at Barcelona, which produced 10 La Liga wins, seven Copa Del Rey titles and four Champions League crowns.
MLS side Inter Miami will take on the Saudi Pro League's Al-Nassr in February 2024 (Twitter/X)Since leaving Spain, Messi spent two seasons at PSG and though he won Ligue 1 twice, did not quite hit the heights he did in Spain. Ronaldo on the other hand, spent three seasons playing for Juventus after leaving Madrid in 2018 and captured the Serie A title on two occasions, as well as the Coppa Italia trophy in 2021.
He is now at Al-Nasr after his second stint at Old Trafford came to an ugly end, and has already helped the Saudi Arabian team capture the Arab Club Champions Cup in August, and scored two goals in the final. After his contract with the French champions expired, Messi joined Inter Miami this summer with the team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and in wretched form..
On his debut, Messi announced his arrival in style with a sumptuous free-kick late on to help Miami defeat Cruz Azul. He has since scored 11 goals in 14 games and won the Leagues Cup after beating Nashville in an enthralling penalty shootout - the first trophy in the club's history. But Messi's greatest achievement and what gave him a greater edge over his rival was leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022.
Portugal, captained by Ronaldo, was knocked out by Morocco in the round of 16, while Messi scored seven goals en route to lifting the prestigious trophy for the first time in what could be his last World Cup match. Messi's World Cup triumph earned him a record-extending eighth Balon d'Or over second-place Erling Haaland and former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe who finished third in the voting.