Inter Miami has denied it has agreed to take part in the Riyadh Season Cup, which could pit Lionel Messi against Al Nasr and star forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
The club called Tuesday’s statement about its involvement “inaccurate,” adding that general manager Jorge Mas “has not made any public or private comments regarding the preseason trip.”
Earlier in the day, Inter Miami faced Inter Miami. Al Nasr was promoted as part of the Riyadh Season Cup and was hailed as the “last dance” between Messi and Ronaldo.
The pair last met in January this year, when PSG beat Riyadh’s All-Star XI 5-4 in Saudi Arabia.
Many believed this would be the last time Messi and Ronaldo played together as they spent the twilight years of their careers on different continents. According to a statement from Inter Miami, it is still a possibility.
In a perfect world, Messi and Ronaldo would have a farewell match at the FIFA World Cup or Champions League, befitting their stature in the sport. The Riyadh Season Cup provides, in theory at least, a limited conclusion to their long-running rivalry on the pitch.
For more than a decade, Messi and Ronaldo have cast a wide shadow on world football. Ronaldo won the first of his five Ballon d’Or awards in 2008, and he and Messi lifted the trophy in 12 of the next 14 years.
Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid in 2009 also put them on opposite sides in one of Europe’s biggest derbies in nine seasons.
Fans have spent countless hours debating which of the two is better, a debate that may be over thanks to Messi’s record eight Ballon d’Or awards and Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup.
If it all comes together, there is no doubt that another friendly will once again allow the legacies of Messi and Ronaldo to live side by side.