Cristiano Ronaldo to miss Lionel Messi showdown against Inter Miami in Riyadh with calf injury, Al Nassr coach confirms

Cristiano Ronaldo will miss the chance to go head-to-head with his long-term rival Lionel Messi after the Al Nassr star was ruled out of his side’s friendly with Inter Miami through injury.

The iconic duo were set to share the field once more in the Riyadh Season Cup on Thursday, but Al Nassr coach Luis Castro confirmed Ronaldo will miss the clash with a calf problem.

"Cristiano is in the final part of his recovery to join the group," Castro said in a Wednesday news conference.

"We expect that he can begin to work with the team in the next few days. He will be an element that will be absent from the game."

The two superstars last met in January 2023, when they played an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia.

On that occasion, Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain played an all-stars side made up of Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr players and both players scored twice.

Messi joined Inter Miami last year after his contract expired in France, and he decided to move to MLS instead of a mooted return to Barcelona.

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr at the start of last year after he departed Manchester United towards the end of 2022, before the 2023 World Cup.

Ronaldo has 44 goals in 50 appearances for his current club, while Messi has 11 in 14.

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