Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Thursday’s friendly between his Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and David Beckham’s Inter Miami, which features Lionel Messi.
The Portuguese superstar is still recovering from a leg injury, according to Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro.
“Cristiano is in the final stages of his recovery and we expect him to return to the team in the coming days,” Castro said in a news conference. “That’s why he will miss the match.”
Ronaldo and Messi are two of the greatest players of all time, and their meeting in Riyadh would have been a major draw for fans around the world. The two have faced each other 37 times in their careers, with Ronaldo winning 19 of those matches and Messi winning 15.
Inter Miami is in Saudi Arabia for a preseason training camp ahead of the start of the 2024 Major League Soccer season. The team’s first match of the season is scheduled for February 21 at home against the New England Revolution.
Al-Nassr is currently in second place in the Saudi Professional League.
