On Thursday, February 1, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will square off in the main football match of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season.

Following the announcement of the match, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), shared a social media post referring to the match as the “Last Dance” between the two legendary players.

But in high-level sports, nothing is guaranteed, as Alalshikh and the GEA have already discovered with their multimillion-dollar ventures into heavyweight boxing.

Ronaldo’s muscular ailment necessitated the postponing of scheduled matches against Shanghai Shenhua and Zheijang during Al Nassr’s mid-season training camp in China.

It made Ronaldo’s decision to play Messi at the Kingdom Arena questionable. Fans learned the answer to the question that was on everyone’s mind the night before the game.

Does Cristiano Ronaldo take on Messi in today’s match?

On Wednesday, January 31, Al Nassr head coach Luis Castro informed media that his star striker would be “ready soon” after suffering a muscular ailment that resulted in the postponement of two games in China. nevertheless, not quickly enough.

“He is in the final part of his recovery to join the group,” Castro stated. “We are hoping that the team can start working together in the coming days. He won’t be playing in the game.”

Will there still be an Al Nassr vs. Inter Miami match?

In Ronaldo’s absence, there is no word on whether the Al Nassr vs. Inter Miami game would be postponed. Castro said before the game that Ronaldo would not be playing.

This is obviously a different game from Al Nassr’s scheduled matchups in China, even though the organizers have been dealt a major blоw.

Though, in contrast to the upcoming matches between Shanghai Shenhua and Zhejiang, Ronaldo is not the only attraction in town, he is the bright light of Saudi Arabia’s foray into the lucrative world of professional football.

That Messi is in town for Riyadh Season is a coup for the General Executive Administration (GEA) and the Saudi government at large. As an ambassador for Saudi Tourism, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner recently took part in a video ad showcasing the nation as a popular travel destination.

‘Last Dance’ between Ronaldo and Messi: Will they play each other again?

The game that Al Nassr and Inter Miami were supposed to play on February 1st may have been Ronaldo and Messi’s final encounter, but it’s not a given.

Messi and Ronaldo were assured two La Liga games a season during their hedonistic times at Barcelona and Real Madrid. Their total was frequently eclipsed by matches in the Champions League, Supercopa de Espana, and Copa del Rey.

This strong rivalry came to an end when Ronaldo moved to Juventus in 2018. On December 8, 2020, Cristiano scored twice in a 3-0 Juve Champions League victory at Camp Nou, marking the end of their European club football match.

Messi left PSG for Manchester United the next season, while Ronaldo returned to the team. These were eventually disappointing last chapters in European history, which put a stop to any more competitive club matches.

Nevertheless, a quick look at Al Nassr and Inter Miami’s early-season calendars reveals that lucrative preseason matches are an integral part of the business plan, particularly with two of the biggest names in sports history on staff.

Even if the “Last Dance” for this month is no longer attainable, it would require guts to support the opposition in another Riyadh Season encounter. Maybe in 2026, when both veterans will probably be preparing for their last chance to win the biggest prize of them, if not next year.

As Argentina defends their title in the 2026 World Cup, Messi will turn 39 and Ronaldo will be entering his fifth decade of life. However, given both me𝚗’s extraordinary lifespan, competing in the event is definitely in the cards. Perhaps the best farewell of all would be a match between the two veterans, Argentina and Portugal.