In a disappointing turn of events for football fans worldwide, the highly-anticipated clash between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been put on hold once again. Ronaldo will be missing the upcoming friendly between Al-Nassr and Inter Miami due to a calf injury, leaving fans to wonder if they will ever see these two legends play against each other in the future.
Ronaldo's absence from Thursday's match, which is part of the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia, has cast doubts on the possibility of witnessing another club-level encounter between the two greats. As both players have ventured outside European club leagues in the past year, this game was hyped as a potential final showdown between Messi and Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, now 39 years old, made the move to Al-Nassr in January 2023, breaking away from European clubs first. Messi followed suit in July, joining Inter Miami. With their ages creeping higher, time is running out for fans to witness future matchups between these soccer titans. Messi has expressed his desire to conclude his club career with Inter Miami and has hinted that his international career may be nearing its end as well.
Throughout their illustrious careers, Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other on 37 occasions. Most of these clashes took place during Messi's tenure at FC Barcelona and Ronaldo's time at Real Madrid, spanning nine seasons from 2009 to 2018. Since Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid, they have only faced off twice. The most recent encounter took place in January 2023, when Messi's Paris Saint-Germain confronted the Saudi Pro League XI, which included Ronaldo. It is worth noting that their international encounters have been limited to just two friendly matches.
When it comes to the head-to-head record, Messi currently holds the advantage with his teams winning 17 matches compared to Ronaldo's 11, while 9 matches ended in draws. Both superstars have scored an impressive 23 goals each in these bouts.
Looking ahead, Messi and Inter Miami will conclude their preseason tour in Hong Kong and Japan in the coming weeks. Following a friendly against Messi's former Argentinian club team, Inter Miami will kick off the 2024 MLS regular season against Real Salt Lake on February 21.
On the other hand, Ronaldo has been grappling with a calf injury in recent weeks, leading Al-Nassr to cancel its China tour as a precautionary measure. Currently sitting in second place in the Saudi Pro League table, Al-Nassr trails league leaders Al-Hilal by seven points after 19 weeks of competition.
While it remains uncertain whether Messi and Ronaldo will clash on the field again, their rivalry has undoubtedly carved an unforgettable chapter in the history of the sport. Football enthusiasts can only hope that fate will bring these extraordinary athletes together for another captivating matchup in the future.
