19 January 2023 , 07:00
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Thursday sees arguably the two greatest footballers ever face off for potentially the final time.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both icons of the game, will meet during a friendly match in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. Ronaldo is set to captain an All-Star XI made up of players from his new club, Al-Nassr, and neighbours Al-Hilal, while Messi is due to turn out for Paris Saint-Germain, who're currently on tour in the Middle East.
What makes the matchup even more intriguing is that it'll serve as Ronaldo's first appearance since making the move to Saudi Arabia, with one VIP ticket even being sold for a whopping £2.2million. The Portuguese megastar recently signed an eye-watering £173m deal with Al-Nassr, but has missed their first two matches since putting pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year contract due to still being suspended from an incident which occurred during his tumultuous second spell at Manchester United.
Last April, following United's 1-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, Ronaldo was filmed swiping away an autistic boy's phone which caused it to smash and leave the boy, 14, 'bruised'. In November, shortly before his acrimonious departure from Old Trafford, the 37-year-old was slapped with a two-game ban by the English FA which applies worldwide, as well as a £50,000 fine.
Messi, on the other hand, has enjoyed a much more prosperous past few months. On top of 27 goals and assists for PSG so far this season, the Argentine icon was the driving force behind his nation's World Cup triumph in Qatar last month.
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It was the pinnacle of his illustrious career, with Messi being afforded time off from his duties at club level to celebrate back home in Argentina. Unfortunately, his return to Paris has been less enjoyable, with the French champions losing two their four games in Ligue 1 since returning to action after the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi last faced off in 2020 at an empty Camp Nou (AFP via Getty Images)Have your say! Who's the greatest player of all-time? Give us your pick in the comments section.
The 35-year-old magician has started their two most recent matches, firstly scoring in a 2-0 victory over Angers before being frustrated during a 1-0 defeat away to Rennes on Sunday. Messi won't be taking this friendly too seriously, unlike Ronaldo, who's faced accusations of phoning in his career for financial gain by making the move to Saudi Arabia.
"I had many opportunities in Europe, many clubs, in Brazil, in Australia, USA, even in Portugal there is many clubs who tried to sign me but I gave my word to this club," the ex-Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon hero claimed. "Not only to develop the football but other parts of the country."
When is the match?
Riyadh's All-Star XI will take on Paris Saint-Germain at the King Fahd International Stadium on Thursday, January 19.
Kick-off is at 5pm GMT which is 8pm local time.
How can I watch it?
PSG's YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitch account are live streaming the match, as well as PSG TV.
beIN Sports will also broadcast the game live in all its territories.
Those include the Middle East and North Africa, France, Turkey, Asia, North America, and Australasia.