Duo Score 3 Goals In Ronaldo’s Chaotic Saudi Arabia Debut

Topline

Soccer icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dazzled a crowd in Saudi Arabia on Thursday in what might be the final match between the two legends, with Ronaldo scoring twice in his highly anticipated debut for a Saudi soccer team after Messi landed the first goal of the chaotic game.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal playing for a combined XI of Saudi … [+] Arabian teams during a friendly soccer match at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Key Facts

Ronaldo, 37, captained an all-star team featuring players from his club, Al Nassr, and fellow Riyadh team Al Hilal, while Messi, 35, lined up for French club Paris Saint-Germain in the friendly match at a packed King Fahd International Stadium.

Messi opened the scoring in the third minute, while Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 34th minute and again just before halftime.

Ronaldo was substituted out of the match in the 61st minute while Messi was taken off one minute later.

PSG won the back-and-forth match 5-4, despite defender Juan Bernat receiving a red card in the 39th minute.

What To Watch For

Ronaldo will play his first game in the Saudi league Sunday, when Al Nassr faces off against Al Ettifaq.

What We Don’t Know

It’s not clear if Messi and Ronaldo will ever play against each other again. Al Nassr will likely only face off against European opponents in a handful of friendly matches throughout the year, while Messi has been linked to a future move to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, which would make a game between the two even more unlikely.

Big Number

$210 million. That’s how much Ronaldo’s 2 1/2-year contract with Al Nassr will reportedly pay him.

Tangent

Messi topped the Forbes 2022 list of highest paid athletes with $130 million in yearly earnings, while Ronaldo placed third on the list with $115 million in earnings.

Key Background

Most soccer observers consider Messi and Ronaldo to be among the best to ever play the game, and their dozens of showdowns over the years have become sporting legend. The rivalry between them peaked in the early 2010s, when the two were in the prime of their careers and played for arch-rival clubs in Spain—Ronaldo lined up for Real Madrid while Messi was at FC Barcelona. The two have translated their accomplishments on the field to financial success off of it, but their rivalry even extends into business ventures: Ronaldo has a lifelong endorsement deal with Nike and Messi has a lifelong agreement with Adidas.