Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo make Saudis happy in possible farewell to rivalry

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In the likely last battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, Paris Saint-Germain won a combination with athletes from Al Nassr and Al Hilal by 5 to 4, this Thursday (19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

With two goals at the Rei Fahd stadium, Ronaldo tied with Messi in the top scorer of the games in which he faced his great rival – 23 for each side. The Argentine scored one.

The friendly was officially called the Riyadh Season Cup. However, it was treated as a CR7 x Messi farewell, as if the duo were a separate championship.

In a country with little tradition in football, the presence of the stars left the Saudi fans in ecstasy, who had already been identified as one of the highlights of the World Cup in Qatar, especially for the joy with which they celebrated the victory over Argentina in the opening match.

An hour before the ball rolls in Riyadh, the public has already risen as the screen shows scenes of the Portuguese arriving at the King Fahd stadium. The athletes were received on the field with fireworks, torches lit around the lawn and a light show.

Messi opened the scoring in the second minute of the game. Neymar, after a table with Mbappé, put the ball through with precision to the Argentine, who touched it when goalkeeper Al Owais came out.

The stadium grew louder three minutes later with Ronaldo’s first chance, but Navas saved the cross shot. The Portuguese secured the tie in penalty kick, at 33.

PSG, even with one player less —Juan Bernat brought down Martínez and received a red card in the 39th minute—, went ahead with Marquinhos completing Mbappé’s cross. Neymar had a penalty in favor, but he hit without force, and the goalkeeper slotted in.

In the final minutes of a first half in which PSG created chances to open a rout, Ronaldo had persistence to tie. After crossing from the left, he sent a header, Navas countered. In the second attempt, the Portuguese reached the goal with his foot.

In the final stage, PSG consolidated the victory with goals from Sergio Ramos, Mbappé (penalty) and Ekitiké. Hyun Soo and the Brazilian Talisca scored for the Arab team.

Ronaldo and Messi left the match, respectively, at 15 and 16 minutes of the final stage, and there was the impression that nothing else mattered in Riyadh, with part of the crowd leaving the stadium.

The reunion of the two stars was only possible because the event, scheduled for January 2023, was postponed due to the evolution of cases of Covid-19.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was then defending Manchester United, was presented by Al Nassr on the 3rd of this month. Captain of the Saudi national team, he will make his debut for Al Nassr on Sunday (22), against Al Ettifaq.

The Portuguese signed an agreement for two and a half years with the Saudi team and will receive around 200 million euros (R$ 1.1 billion) annually. There are rumors that the star could still return to European football if Newcastle manages to qualify for the Champions League.

Newcastle and Al Nassr have the same owner, a subsidiary company linked to the sovereign fund of Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo, however, has said that he has completed his mission on the Old Continent. “I played for the most important clubs in Europe, and now it’s a new challenge in Asia,” he says.

That challenge started in a duel with his old rival in Europe. A story that had its first relevant chapter in April 2008, a goalless draw between Cristiano’s Manchester United and Messi’s Barcelona, ​​in the Champions League semifinals. Manchester ended up going to the final and taking the title

In the 2009 season, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid, and the rivalry became quite fierce in Spain.

If this Thursday’s duel was indeed the last, the story ends with 37 clashes. There were 17 victories for Messi’s teams, 11 for Cristiano’s teams. There were still nine draws.

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