RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi transported fans back in time to the heyday of their storied rivalry, as both forwards got on the scoresheet in an exhibition match before Hugo Ekitike earned 10-man PSG a 5-4 win over the Riyadh Season Team.
While the match may not have much significance for the teams involved, soccer fans around the world got plenty of bang for their buck as a story that has dominated the sport for over a decade appeared to come to an end in a memorable goalfest.
In an action-packed first half at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, goals from Messi and Marquinhos were cancelled out by a Ronaldo brace, while PSG’s Juan Bernat was sent off for a lunging tackle on Saudi international Salem Al-Dawsari.
Both teams kept their foot on the gas in the second-half, but Ekitike’s 78th-minute strike eventually made the difference on the night.
“We saw lots of goals in a magnificent stadium with an incredible atmosphere,” PSG coach Cristophe Galtier said according to Reuters.
“This evening, we played in a lively stadium with lots of support. I enjoyed the way that they honoured the numerous stars that were on the pitch.”
Decked in a new black and gold kit, PSG made a blistering start to the game, racing into the lead in the third minute thanks to a deft finish from Messi.
Played through on goal by Neymar, Messi was able to poke the ball past goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Owais, who he last faced in Saudi Arabia’s shock World Cup win over Argentina in November.
Despite going behind early, the Riyadh Season Team – a combined Saudi Pro League XI featuring players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal – had numerous chances.
Ronaldo was an ever-present threat and won a penalty when goalkeeper Keylor Navas clattered into him.
Sporting a bright red bruise on his cheek as a result of the collision, Ronaldo picked himself up to calmly convert the spot kick and level the game.
Bernat was shown a red card right after the equaliser, but the Ligue 1 club responded well to going a man down, scoring through defender Marquinhos.
Their lead would not last long; as Ronaldo once again levelled the game on the verge of halftime, hammering home a rebound after Sergio Ramos botched a straightforward clearance.
The goals continued to come thick and fast after the break, as Ramos turned in a Kylian Mbappe cross before South Korean Jang Hyun-soo replied with a near-post header from a corner to make it 3-3.
A handball by Ali Al-Bulaihi gave the visitors a penalty, which was expertly dispatched by Mbappe on the hour. It was Mbappe’s last contribution, as he was taken off shortly after, along with team mates Messi and Neymar, as well as Ronaldo.
Ekitike then extended PSG’s lead to 5-3 with a thumping finish following a lung-busting run from the halfway line before Anderson Talisca scored a late consolation goal for the Saudis in added time.
Though he was unable to get his newest chapter in Saudi Arabia off to a winning start, 37-year-old Ronaldo will take heart from his performance as he prepares to make his first competitive appearance for Al-Nassr when they host Al-Ettifaq on Sunday.
The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has been among the greatest ever.
Between them they have 12 Ballon d´Or awards – Messi a record seven, Ronaldo five – and have won a combined 56 major trophies. Ronaldo won the Champions League five times, compared to Messi´s four.
Messi is the all-time “El Clasico” top scorer with 26 goals for Barca, eight more than Ronaldo for Madrid.
Ronaldo won the European Championship in 2016 but Messi was brilliant in Argentina´s Copa America win in 2021 and its 2022 World Cup success.
Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men´s international soccer with 118 goals, while Messi´s seven at the World Cup took him to third overall with 98.
There was scant interaction between former Madrid star Ronaldo and Messi, his arch rival during Barcelona’s glory days.
It was Ronaldo who tentatively approached an impassive-looking Messi at the center circle seconds before the whistle blew to start perhaps their final game as opponents.
There was a polite exchange, the briefest handshake.
Messi stared at Ronaldo late in the first-half, after PSG defender Juan Bernat had been sent off, and Ronaldo seemed to look away from Messi.
It was a different mood in the tunnel beforehand, when a grinning Ronaldo hugged Ramos, who now plays alongside Messi, and joked with Ramos that he´d forgotten to remove an ear stud.
The laugh was on Ramos later, when he air-kicked a loose ball on Ronaldo´s second goal. PSG’s Neymar also missed, from the penalty spot.
The atmosphere built before the start as fans waved Argentina flags while others held up the yellow jersey of Al-Nassr, pointing proudly to Ronaldo´s No. 7 on the back. The ticker tape poured from the stands as Ronaldo led his team out. He smiled and winked when he got a loud ovation.
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