Inter Miami deny involvement in Saudi Arabia plans for Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo friendly

Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect the position of Inter Miami following a club statement

Inter Miami has refuted any involvement in the announced plans for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to meet in a friendly match in Saudi Arabia in February.

The game, previously announced by organizers as part of the Riyadh Season Cup, was said to be scheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena. However, Inter Miami denied their participation in the event.

A statement from the club clarified that Miami had been mentioned as “the guest international side” for the three-team, round-robin competition, alongside clubs from the country, Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

The release included quotes from Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, expressing excitement about hosting Inter Miami and the international stars from all three clubs competing in the tournament.

It was also mentioned that a schedule of fixtures would be announced in due course.

However, a later statement from Miami contradicted the announcement made by the proposed hosts, deeming it “inaccurate”.

The statement from Inter Miami CF read, “Earlier today, an announcement was issued stating that Inter Miami CF is scheduled to play in the Riyadh Season Cup. This is inaccurate. The release included statements attributed to team owner Jorge Mas. Mas has made no comments, publicly or privately, in relation to the preseason tour.”

“Since day one, Inter Miami CF has set out to be a global brand. To this end, we have been in conversations to determine our 2024 preseason schedule. We look forward to showcasing our players on Inter Miami CF’s first international tour, which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Messi and Ronaldo enjoyed one of the most high-profile rivalries in the sport for a large portion of their careers, with both players dominating the men’s Ballon d’Or award between 2008 and 2017.

Messi, 36, played the majority of his career at Barcelona, while Ronaldo, 38, competed against the Argentina international during his time at Real Madrid after moving from Manchester United in 2009.

Messi last played against Ronaldo when his former side, Paris Saint-Germain, played against the Saudi All-Stars in January this year, with both players scoring in the game.

It was reported that Inter Miami signed Messi in July on a two-and-a-half year deal, while Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January after his contract was mutually terminated by Manchester United.

(BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)