Cristiano Ronaldo to captain Saudi All-Star XI in their friendly against Lionel Messi’s PSG

Footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo will captain a Saudi All-Star XI team against PSG in their friendly match on Thursday, January 19.

The match will be Ronaldo’s first game since joining Al-Nassr last month in a deal that will see him earn £175m-a-year, and he will lead his side, which will contain players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.

Ronaldo has been presented with the captain’s armband and is now just days away from making his debut in Saudi Arabia.

His first match will see him go up against long-term rival Lionel Messi, with PSG currently on a tour of the Middle East.

The match could also be the final time that the pair, who have won the Ballon d’Or 12 times between them, face each other on the pitch.

Ronaldo and Messi shared a great rivalry during their time in Spain together, playing in numerous El Clasicos for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Ronaldo left Spain to join Juventus in 2018, and he has not come up against Messi since December 2020 when the Italian giants travelled to the Nou Camp.