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End of an era? Messi & Advertisement

Ronaldo trade goals in late-

career clash as PSG win high-
scoring friendly over Riyadh
All-Star XI
Mitchell Wilks | 20 Jan 2023 00:54+05:30  17
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Riyadh ST XI vs PSG Cristiano Ronaldo L. Messi Riyadh ST XI PSG

Hybrid Friendlies Neymar K. Mbappé

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo each scored in what could be their final
meeting - an eventful 5-4 PSG win over Saudi Pro League All-Stars.
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Messi scored first in Riyadh

Ronaldo answered with two goals of his own Transfers

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TELL ME MORE: In what many believe is the final battle between two of
 8h  152
football's greatest ever, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo put on a
show in an end-to-end friendly in Riyadh that finished 3-3. While Messi had
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already got back down to business following his historic World Cup win in
December, the pressure was on rival Ronaldo to make an impact, leading
the line for an All-Star XI having signed for Al-Nassr in the weeks prior.

And while this wasn't exactly a battle for the ages like their plentiful
meetings in both La Liga and the Champions League in the years gone by,
it was certainly an eventful one and a contest that bookmarks the end of
an era, in many ways. The All-Stars tried their best, but an injury time
strike from Anderson Talisca wasn't enough to cancel out earlier goals
from Messi, Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos, Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike
as the game finished 5-4.

THE MVP: Messi had the first laugh, but Ronaldo won Man of the Match.
Scoring from the penalty spot to get himself o! the mark, the 37-year-old's
second of the evening was much more impressive. He rattled the post with
a sublime header, before reacting first to get on the end of the rebound
and bundle it home as he has so o"en done throughout his career.

Sure, it was only a friendly, but the crowd went wild for the five-time
Ballon d'Or winner and understandably so. Al-Nassr fans in particular
would've been delighted with what they saw. The old dog still has life in
him yet.

THE BIG LOSER: Keylor Navas had a night to forget in the Middle East, in
what could be his final game for PSG. He was nowhere near a cross and
clattered into Ronaldo to concede the penalty for the first goal, and looked
shaky throughout the rest of the game. It's clear to see why Christophe
Galtier has instilled Gianluigi Donnarumma as the club's first-choice
goalkeeper this season.

MATCH IN THREE PHOTOS: Getty

Images

Getty

WHAT NEXT? For Messi and PSG, focus quickly turns to their fight for
silverware. They play in the Coupe de France on Monday before returning
to Ligue 1 action, with a heavyweight Champions League last-16 clash with
Bayern Munich now less than a month away. Meanwhile, all eyes in Saudi
Arabia will be on Ronaldo's impending debut for Al-Nassr. Having scored a
brace in the friendly against PSG, excitement levels are naturally through
the roof.

MATCH RATING (OUT OF FIVE):

Where should Lionel Messi play next season?

PSG Barcelona

Inter Miami Saudi Arabia

Other

56549 Votes

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