Cristiano Ronaldo Vs Lionel Messi for the Last Time?
PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) were the opponent of the Saudi Arabia all-star team which were players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. This exhibition match went down in history as it saw Cristiano Ronaldo, now of Al-Nassr, face off against his fated 'rival' Lionel Messi for what is potentially the last ever time. They have shared the spotlight for more than 16 years together and both have cemented a legacy like no other in football. Thus, this highly anticipated fixture between the two greats was always destined to become one of the most iconic moments not just in football history but in all sports too.
Lionel Messi fresh from a world-cup triumph returned to PSG at the turn of the year to rejoin his teammates Neymar Jr and Mbappe in order to tackle domestic and European success. Of course, their main objective is to win the elusive Champions League however, it seems success will be difficult for PSG this season. Despite being first in the league, the gap between second place is very slim. Prior to the World Cup PSG had not lost a single match but since the resumption, they have lost back-to-back away games which included a loss against second-placed Lens. Therefore it shows their focus cannot just be on the Champions League as the Ligue 1 title race is not as straightforward as they thought.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a turbulent end to 2022, which saw the infamous interview that led to the falling out between him and his beloved Manchester United. Despite some controversial comments about the manager of Man Utd and club legend Wayne Rooney, he managed to target and focus on the issues most supporters of Man Utd have been complaining about and has since seen the club be put up for sale. Therefore, I am sure his legacy will be revamped once the storm around the club's issues dies down as Ronaldo and Man Utd have an undying love for each other despite these difficult times. These issues didn't help what seems like his last World Cup campaign where Portugal was knocked out in the Quarter-finals.
Post-world cup saw Ronaldo join Saudi-Arabian giants Al-Nassr on a lucrative offer for a lucrative player. It was stated he had many options across the world and Europe. Many fans did want him to stay in Europe, however, I think he done the right choice in joining Al-Nassr. He has won all the trophies possible in Europe (5 times CL winner) thus I believe he has nothing to prove to anyone and recency bias is clouding many people's judgements on arguably one of the greatest footballers and athletes that have ever lived. Hence I believe this new chapter should be appreciated by all and let Ronaldo enjoy his time after a turbulent year in his life.
These events were seen as the end of the Ronaldo-Messi era as they would no longer have the chance to have a bout in a properly contested match in the high leagues. However, only recently did they face an enthralling exhibition match in Riyadh which certainly brought the football world to a stand-still once again. PSG and Messi did certainly win on the night (5-4, Messi scoring the opener) but it certainly refreshed many people's days seeing Ronaldo play football with a smile on his face due to recent events. Incredibly it was his debut in Saudi Arabia and how fitting it was to be against his 'rival' Messi for what seems like the last time they face each other. Ronaldo managed 60 minutes and scored 2 goals which was a reminder to everyone that you don't lose your powers overnight. He showcased he still has the capability to perform against the elites of the elites.
But as said before, Ronaldo has conquered European football and has nothing to prove. Therefore it is best to just enjoy his final few years in the footballing world and hopefully, he can shine his everlasting light on Asian football and continue making people fall in love with the beautiful game.
