Inter Miami refutes report that Messi vs. Ronaldo game in Saudi Arabia is a done deal

Inter Miami refuted a Saudi Arabian report Tuesday that Lionel Messi and his teammates will face rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr team in an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in early February as part of the Riyadh Season Cup.

Saudi sports and entertainment official Turki Al-Sheikh posted on X (formerly Twitter) early Tuesday that both superstars will participate in the game, being billed as “The Last Dance”. Messi is 36 and Ronaldo is 38, so it will likely be the last time they face each other.

A statement read: “Riyadh Season and Inter Miami CF have agreed to hold the Riyadh Season Cup matches in Riyadh as part of Riyadh Season activities. In a tournament that brings together the two Saudi clubs, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, and Inter Miami CF, the matches will be played in the format of a league system. The league schedule will be announced at a later time.

“The world’s most prominent football stars will participate in the tournament, including the Saudi Al-Nassr Club player, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo and the American club Inter Miami Argentine star Lionel Messi in a confrontation that will be the talk of the world, dubbed “The Last Dance”.

Inter Miami issued a statement later in the day denying the Saudi report:

“Earlier today, an announcement was issued stating that Inter Miami is scheduled to play in the Riyadh Season Cup. This is inaccurate. The release included statements attributed to team owner Jorge Mas. Mas has made no comments, publicly or privately, in relation to the preseason tour.

“Since day one, Inter Miami has set out to be a global brand. To this end, we have been in conversations to determine our 2024 preseason schedule. We look forward to showcasing our players on Inter Miami’s first international tour which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

The Saudi game is scheduled for the first week of February at the Kingdom Arena.

The Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry is one of the greatest in sports history, and arguments continue as to who is the better player. Between 2008 and 2017 one or the other won the Ballon d’Or trophy as world’s top player. Ronaldo has 612 million Instagram followers and Messi has 493 million.

Messi last played against Ronaldo in January 2023 when Paris Saint-Germain played against the Saudi All-Stars. Both players scored.

Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson confirmed on Monday that a preseason overseas tour was in the works but did not offer details.

“This summer I felt like overnight we became a global club, eyes all over the world are watching what we’re doing,” Henderson said. “And what comes with that are these preseason tours and opportunities. We’re working closely with the front office as they negotiate some of those preseason tours.”