Al-Ettifaq star makes bold claim when asked if Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos could follow Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia
Al-Ettifaq defender Marcel Tisserand believes Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) duo Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos following Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia is very much a possibility.
Ronaldo became the highest-paid footballer in the world when he joined Al-Nassr last month. Having put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Saudi Pro League club, he will now reportedly earn a whopping £173 million a year.
Saudi Arabia have set their eyes on hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030 and are said to be keen to lure more superstars to the country. There have been claims that PSG defender Ramos is a target for Al-Nassr.
Al-Aalami are said to be determined to reunite Ronaldo with former Real Madrid teammates Ramos and Luka Modric. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are seemingly prepared to battle it out for Messi's services.
Lionel Messi has two Saudi Arabian clubs chasing him, with Al Ittihad joining Al Hilal in the race. Both sides are reportedly willing to offer €350 million to the Argentine to lure him away from PSG. dlvr.it/SgrgSP
While nothing has been confirmed yet, Tisserand is positive that more superstars will follow the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to Saudi Arabia. He is hopeful that the likes of Messi and Ronaldo will join the Saudi Pro League soon. The Al-Ettifaq defender told French outlet Foot Mercato:
"It confirms my choice to have come here. I didn't go anywhere. I see a lot of good players being asked to come here. They're still rumors, we'll see if it's possible. When you see that Cristiano has come here, it opens up possibilities.
"It's very good for the championship and for us as players. We want to play against these players. It's only positive so I hope other big names will join us here."
Premier adversaire de CR7 en Arabie Saoudite, Marcel Tisserand espère que le Portugais va faire passer un cap à la Saudi Pro League
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Both Messi and Ramos have their contracts with PSG expiring at the end of the current season. While the latter's future is unclear, the former could reportedly pen a new deal with Les Parisiens.
Ronaldo and Messi faced each other in a friendly earlier this month
It is worth noting that the Portuguese icon's first appearance on Saudi Arabian soil did not come in Al-Nassr colors. He played his first game in the Middle Eastern country in a friendly against PSG.
He captained the Riyadh Season Team, consisting of players from both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, in the exhibition match. However, he ended up on the losing side as Les Parisiens claimed a 5-4 victory at the King Fahd International Stadium.
Messi opened the scoring for Christophe Galtier's side, while Marquinhos, Ramos, Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike also found the back of the net. Meanwhile, Ronaldo grabbed a brace for the Riyadh Season Team.