Legend Lionel Messi and his teammates have arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, ready to play two major matches against the city's giants, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. The Riyadh Season Cup is set to kick off on Monday, featuring a match between Al-Hilal and American team Inter Miami. This match will be the first to take place at the "Kingdom Arena," which was officially announced to host Al-Hilal matches in late September 2023.
The Riyadh Season Cup will see the participation of three clubs, with Inter Miami fielding all its stars, including Argentine Lionel Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suárez, and Spaniards Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, alongside Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. All stars from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr who have not left to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations will take part, including Portuguese Ruben Neves, Croatian Sergej Milinković-Savić, and Brazilians Renan Lodi and Malcolm, in addition to Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr will be led by legendary Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, along with compatriot Otávio, Croatian Marcelo Brozović, and Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.
The tournament will operate on a points system, with Al-Hilal facing Inter Miami on Monday, and Al-Nassr playing against the American team in a match dubbed "The Last Dance," which will reunite Messi and Ronaldo on February 1. The Riyadh derby between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal is scheduled for February 8. The first edition of the tournament held in January 2023 saw a team of stars from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr face Paris Saint-Germain, ending in a 5-4 victory for the French team.
