Lionel Messi and Inter Miami Get Demolished by Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia
It was supposed to be Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's "Last Dance" against each other, but the injury bug bit and Ronaldo missed the big Inter Miami vs. Al Nassr match that just happened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while Messi himself was not 100% either and did not start the match, which resulted in a one-sided beatdown of the US-based club.
It was an embarrassing defeat for Inter Miami as two of its players are considered all-time greats, Argentinian Lionel Messi and Uruguayan Luis Suarez, against a team that has its all-time great, Cristiano Ronaldo, on the injured list. All Nassr won this one in Saudi Arabia, 6-0.
As GOAL noted, Messi entered the game late, but he did not make much of a difference, and he was powerless throughout the match in an embarrassing defeat that brought in jokes from all over the Middle East.
Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, poked fun at Messi and Inter Miami, saying, It seems like he [Messi] knew that Cristiano Ronaldo was injured and he knew that Al Nassr would [makes a whipping gesture]. So he avoided losing against Al Nassr without Cristiano. Saudi Arabia has become Messi's curse."
This dig came as rumors that Messi had a curse against Saudi Arabian teams after he and Argentina, which eventually won the World Cup in 2022, were upset by Saudi Arabia during that tournament.
Inter Miami has been struggling as of late, recently losing against the team that previously courted him after leaving Paris Saint-Germaine last year, Al Hilal. Messi and his squad have not yet won a match since their 4-0 demolition of Toronto last September.
READ MORE: How the South American Trio MSN (Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar) Dominated European Soccer
Lionel Messi Only Played 7 Minutes During Match Vs. Al Nassr
While Ronaldo missed the entire match, Messi did play, but only during the final seven minutes as Al Nassr was hammering his Inter Miami team in a one-sided match.
Al Nassr blitzed Inter Miami during the first 12 minutes of this highly-anticipated match-up, scoring three goals during that timeframe and once again exposing the US club's shoddy defense. Portuguese striker Otavio was unstoppable during the game, picking up the slack for his injured compatriot, while Brazilian Anderson Talisca added to the Al Nassr tally.
According to the Associated Press, Inter Miami's Asia tour continues as it heads to the MLS preseason. Their next stop is in Hong Kong on Sunday against a local team before another friendly in Japan three days later.
Cristiano Ronaldo Went Wild While Al Nassr Destroyed Rival Lionel Messi and Inter Miami
Cristiano Ronaldo was watching the match from a VIP suite as he was injured, and it seems that he was enjoying watching his teammates demolish his rival, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami squad, as he was seen laughing and joking throughout the match.
As GOAL noted, the Portuguese striker was out with a calf injury, so he was not able to play against his Argentinian rival in Riyadh. However, he was seen cheering very loudly from the stands.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Al-Nassr vs Inter Miami 6-0 All Goals & Highlights - Messi & Ronaldo 2024 - NeicK
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