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Lionel Messi and PSG have touched down in Riyadh ahead of their friendly against Cristiano Ronaldo-led Saudi All-Stars.
Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and the rest of the squad were greeted with flowers on arrival.
PSG are set to play a combined XI of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal on Thursday (January 19) as all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to meet Lionel Messi once again on a football pitch.
Is this the last time we will see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face off against each other?
The friendly could well be the last time two of the greatest superstars of their era meet. ESPN reported that the match had more than two million online ticket requests, with the game selling out within minutes of going on sale.
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Ronaldo, who made headlines with his move to Al-Nassr, is currently serving a two-match ban because of the time he smashed an Everton fan’s phone whilst leaving the pitch at Goodison Park in April 2022.
After criticizing the club's owners and coach Erik ten Hag, saying he had no respect for the Dutchman, in an explosive television interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo's future at Manchester United was up in the air. Soon, the club and Ronaldo mutually agreed to end the forward's contract, which made him a free agent.
In terms of the head-to-head record between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the pair have faced off 34 times at the club level, with Messi coming out on top 14 times, Ronaldo winning on 11 occasions, and nine games ending in a draw.
Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Al-Nassr and will earn close to €200 million per year, making him the highest-paid footballer in the history of the sport.
Al-Nassr are coached by former Lyon boss Rudi Garcia, and Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar and former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina are among their squad.
How much will Lionel Messi and PSG earn from the friendly?
According to French daily L'Equipe, PSG are set to earn €10 million from the game, which should significantly boost their revenues.
68,752 fans are expected to attend the game at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh.
