On February 1st, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr hosted Messi’s Inter Miami, marking the fourth stop on Inter Miami’s preseason tour. Messi’s new team embarked on an ambitious preseason tour in 2024, visiting several countries and facing a variety of teams, including matches in El Salvador, Dallas, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr, Hong Kong, Vissel Kobe. The tour aimed to prepare the team for the upcoming Major League Soccer (MLS) season, providing valuable match experience against international opponents.
The tour kicked off on January 19 with a game against the El Salvador national team, resulting in a goalless draw at DRV PNK Stadium in Florida. This was followed by a narrow defeat to FC Dallas on January 22, with Inter Miami losing 1-0. The team then traveled to Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Season Cup, where they faced Al Hilal on January 29. Despite a spirited performance, Inter Miami fell short, losing 4-3 in a closely contested match. Highlights included goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi from the penalty spot, as well as an equalizer by Ruiz, making it a thrilling encounter.
The next match against Al Nassr on February 1 was particularly challenging, with Inter Miami arriving without a win in the tour so far. The event was part of the Riyadh Season Cup, featuring matches between Inter Miami, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr, played in a league format. This setup provided fans with the opportunity to witness these football giants compete on the same soccer field, potentially for the last time, given Messi and Ronaldo’s ages and career stages.
The match was eagerly anticipated, not just for the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo but also for the quality of play expected from their teams. In what was anticipated as a monumental showdown between two of football’s greatest, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, the reality fell short of expectations. The match, positioned as a thrilling face-off, ended in a surprisingly one-sided affair with Al Nassr dominating 6-0.
The Match: A Detailed Overview
The anticipation surrounding the game was palpable, with fans eager to witness another chapter in the storied rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo. However, the clash was not as expected. Ronaldo was sidelined due to a calf injury, and Messi made a brief appearance, playing only the last six minutes of the game.
Despite the absence of its star player, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr displayed a dominant performance. Anderson Talisca emerged as the standout, contributing significantly to the team’s victory. His hat-trick, celebrated with Ronaldo’s iconic “SIUUUU” gesture, underscored Al Nassr’s superiority on the field.
The game, which took place on February 1st, showcased Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr’s impressive ability to dominate on the field even in the absence of the Portuguese star, who was sidelined with a recent injury. With both Ronaldo and Messi out — Messi having been kept on Miami’s bench due to an injury and only making a brief appearance towards the game’s end — Al Nassr demonstrated their depth of talent in an overwhelming 6-0 victory. The scoring spree began with Otavio’s goal just three minutes into the match, followed by Anderson Talisca doubling the lead by the 10th minute. Aymeric Laporte stole the show with a remarkable goal from 60 yards out on a free kick, catching Miami off guard.
Despite the physical confrontations towards the end of the first half, Al Nassr’s momentum remained unbroken in the second half. Talisca added to the scoreline from the penalty spot early in the second half, and Mohammed Maran extended the lead to 5-0 in the 68th minute. Talisca rounded off the scoring with his hat-trick, celebrating with Ronaldo’s famous pose, to the delight of the home crowd, emphasizing that Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr could still shine even without him.
The Last El Clasico: Reflecting on a Storied Rivalry
The last on-field encounter between Messi and Ronaldo during the 2018 El Clasico symbolically became their final competitive face-off, as subsequent anticipated clashes, including a potential showdown in the 2022 World Cup and a 2024 friendly between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Inter Miami, did not materialize due to Ronaldo’s injury and Portugal’s early exit. This unfulfilled anticipation adds a poignant note to their rivalry, underscoring the 2018 match as an unexpected yet fitting finale to a legendary football saga.
The last El Clasico featuring Messi and Ronaldo on May 6, 2018, was a Matchday 36 clash at Camp Nou, ending in a 2-2 draw. At that point in the season, Barcelona led La Liga and ultimately won the title. Luis Suárez and Messi scored for Barcelona, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale netted for Real Madrid. This match highlighted the intense rivalry and mutual respect between Messi and Ronaldo, marking the end of an era as the last time they faced each other in this iconic fixture.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Influence
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr arrival had an immediate and profound effect on the team’s fortunes in the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. Selected as a special invitee by the Union of Arab Football Associations, Al Nassr seized their opportunity, advancing through the competition with a combination of strategic brilliance and Ronaldo’s luminous star quality.
The tournament unfolded in the bustling locales of Abha, Al Bahah, Khamis Mushait, and Taif, setting the stage for Al Nassr’s ascendancy. They triumphed over formidable opponents, including the previous champions Raja Casablanca, with Ronaldo’s crucial contributions highlighting his timeless talent. His leading role in guiding Al Nassr to regional triumph has seamlessly intertwined his legacy with the club’s celebrated history.