Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is set to captain the Saudi All-Star XI team in a friendly match against PSG on Thursday, January 19.
The upcoming game will mark Ronaldo’s debut since joining Al-Nassr last month in a lucrative deal worth £175m per year. He will lead a squad comprising players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.
Ronaldo has received the captain’s armband and is gearing up for his much-anticipated debut in Saudi Arabia.
His first match will see him face off against long-standing rival Lionel Messi, as PSG is currently touring the Middle East.
This encounter could potentially mark the final showdown between the two footballing legends, who have collectively clinched the Ballon d’Or title 12 times, as they come head to head on the pitch.
Ronaldo and Messi had a fierce rivalry during their time in Spain, featuring prominently in El Clasicos for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Following his departure from Spain to join Juventus in 2018, Ronaldo last competed against Messi in December 2020, when Juventus visited the Nou Camp.
