One of the most famous rivalries in modern football history has been denied a potential last chapter.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the winners of 13 Ballons d'Or awards and countless other trophies and records between them, were set to face off this week when Al Nassr took on Inter Miami in Saudi Arabia.
The match is an exhibition game serving a dual purpose: it's a useful preseason and mid-season warm-up match for Inter Miami and Al Nassr teams gearing up for a busy year, while it's also one of the marquee events of the latest Riyadh Season — a state-funded festival of sport and entertainment staged in Saudi Arabia each year.
However, a muscular injury that Ronaldo sustained during Al Nassr's training camp in China has not cleared up and head coach Luis Castro confirmed on Wednesday that his superstar forward would not face Messi.
But the show must go on. The Sporting News has the details on the kickoff time of the match, plus the latest on Ronaldo's injury problem and some background on the Riyadh Season Cup.
MORE: Recap the 5-4 thriller when Messi last faced Ronaldo
What time is Ronaldo vs Messi match 2024?
The friendly match between Al Nassr and Inter Miami is due to kick off at 9 p.m. local time on Thursday, February 1, 2024.
The game is taking place at Kingdom Arena, a 30,000-capacity venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is where Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal play their home games.
Here is how the kickoff time translates across some of the world's major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Thur, Feb. 1 | 1 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Thur, Feb. 1 | 1 p.m. ET |
| UK | Sun, Jan. 21 | 6:00 p.m. GMT |
| Australia | Fri, Feb. 2 | 5 a.m. AEDT |
| India | Thur, Feb. 1 | 11:30 p.m. IST |
Is Ronaldo playing against Inter Miami?
In a crushing blow to organisers, Al Nassr boss Castro confirmed Ronaldo's injury was progressing well but not quickly enough.
“He is in the final part of his recovery to join the group," he told reporters. "We hope in the next few days that work with the team can begin. He will be absent from the game.”
Al Nassr's recent run of friendlies during their mid-season break has been complicated by Ronaldo's spell on the sidelined
However, given Inter Miami have already played Al Hilal in the Riyad Season Cup, going down to an entertaining 4-3 defeat, and Al Nassr are set to play their Saudi Pro League counterparts in the tournament next week, there is no indication of this game being in any danger.
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo matchup history
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are this generation's most legendary players, and their rivalry has been well-documented throughout the last two decades.
The two have squared off 35 times in competitive games across their club careers, with Messi winning 16 times to Ronaldo's 10, plus nine draws. Messi claimed the most recent face-off as PSG won their friendly matchup 5-4 in Riyadh last time around.
In their career matchups, Messi has scored 21 goals and 12 assists, while Ronaldo has logged 20 goals and one assist. If we included last year's exhibition match and a couple of Portugal vs Argentina friendlies in the equation, then they are on 23 goals apiece against one another.
What is the Riyadh Season Cup?
Riyadh Season is a state-sponsored entertainment and sports festival put on by the Saudi government which takes place across the nation's capital at some point during the winter, usually between October and March. The Riyadh Season Cup is an annual showcase match that's played during the heart of the Riyadh Season festival.
Started in 2019, the inaugural Riyadh Season went from October through January with the nation pulling in 10 million combined visitors to the event. It featured 12 different "zones" across Riyadh that held various events, including car shows, restaurant pop-ups, fairgrounds, and plenty of other shows, including sporting events such as WWE.
Last season, the event held a friendly between a Riyadh Season Team, and PSG which pitted Messi against Ronaldo in the latter's first game after joining Al Nassr.
The 2020/21 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Riyadh Season festival returned in late 2021, lasting the full season and featuring a larger area and new events such as a video game festival and a Pitbull concert.
The 2021/22 event was also meant to feature the first PSG visit as the French side was to come and play the Al Hilal / Al Nassr All-Stars, in what would have been the first of an annual friendly match. However, it was postponed due to COVID-19-related restrictions, and PSG came to visit for the showcase last season to deliver on the highly anticipated matchup between Messi and Ronaldo.