Cristiano Ronaldo wears Saudi All-Stars captain's armband ahead of clash against PSG and Lionel Messi (WATCH)
Cristiano Ronaldo will wear the Saudi All-Star side's captain's armband during the friendly clash against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr as a free agent after terminating his contract with Manchester United. The superstar forward, however, is yet to make his debut for the SPL side. He is serving a two-match ban handed to him by the FA for breaking a fan's phone in April last season.
Ronaldo's debut in Saudi Arabian football will come against PSG as the Parisians are set to lock horns with Riyadh XI in a friendly clash. The Riyadh XI team will be formed with players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, two of the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabian football.
Lionel Messi might also feature for the Parisians during the game. The former Barcelona ace has already returned to action for his club after his 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph with Argentina.
He has been in fine form for PSG this season, scoring 13 goals and providing 14 assists in 21 games.
The all-star clash between Riyadh XI and the Ligue 1 giants will take place at the King Fahid International Stadium in Saudi Arabia on 19 January.
Watch Cristiano Ronaldo wear the captain's armband for Riyadh XI:
When is the last time that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi came head to head?
Over the past 15 years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have blessed the fans with countless memorable duels on the football pitch. They have often frustrated each other, entertaining fans to the highest possible extent.
The time they spent together in Spanish football for Real Madrid and Barcelona will go down in the history books.
Their last face-off, however, came when the Portuguese was with Serie A side Juventus. Messi still used to ply his trade for Barcelona.
They clashed in a UEFA Champions League group stage clash at Camp Nou in December 2020. Ronaldo and Juventus emerged victorious from the contest with a scoreline of 3-0.
The no. 7 scored a brace for the Old Lady. The stakes are certainly lower when they face off again on 19 January. Given they are both past their mid-30s, this could very well be the last time the two biggest superstars of the modern era share a football pitch.