Lionel Messi will face rival Cristiano Rolando once again as Inter Miami confront Al-Hilal SFC and Al Nassr FC during the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia.
The Major League Soccer team will play both friendlies at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, confronting Al-Hilal on Monday, January 29, before taking on Al Nassr three days later.
“This is another major opportunity to create lasting relationships with passionate fans. We are excited to connect with new supporters in Saudi Arabia, and also hope people all over the world will be tuning in to see a pair of dream matches like these,” said Xavier Asensi, Inter Miami CF Chief Business Officer.
“These matches will offer important tests for our team, which will benefit us as we approach the new season. We’re excited for our group to get the chance to go up against teams with as much quality as Al-Hilal and Al Nassr,” added Chris Henderson, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director.
The announcement comes just three weeks after Inter Miami denied the team’s participation in the upcoming Riyadh Season Cup. Wow, the two friendlies will serve as part of Inter Miami’s international pre-season tour that includes stops in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.
Messi and Rolando played against each other for the first time since January 2023, when Paris Saint-Germain faced the Saudi All-Stars. Both players scored before PSG triumphed 5-4 over Rolando’s side. The two players have faced off 36 times overall with both club and country, with Messi edging out the Portugal figure with 16 victories, nine draws and 10 loses.
