Messi vs Ronaldo: History records and stats

For years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have battled it out to be considered the best player in the world. While many believe that argument was settled on December 18 when Messi won the World Cup, some believe it is still debatable. Others believe that there is no way to emulate Ronaldo's legacy. The pair faced off for one more time when PSG travels to Riyadh to take on the Saudi All-Star XI (made up of Al Nassr and Al-Hilal players). Ahead of that friendly encounter, we’re looking back on both footballing legend's careers and how they compare.

When Messi met Ronaldo: What happened last time?

Across both domestic and international ties, the duo has met each other 36 times – the first of which came in the Champions League while Ronaldo was still a Manchester United player in his first stint there back in 2008. That game ended in a draw, and United went on to win the second leg. 

However, the Catalan club took their revenge the following year when they beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in the Champions League final, prompting Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid.

They would then spend the next nine years in La Liga and domestic Spanish competitions before Ronaldo left the league first with a move to Juventus.

2020 would mark the last match between the two - at least until Thursday - and this time Ronaldo would get the better of his rival when Juventus knocked Barça out of the UCL. The infamous no.7 was on course to bury two penalties in an away group game.

PSG vs Saudi All-Star XI

The Saudi Arabia All-Stars are expected to choose players from Al Hilal and Al Nassr, and Cristiano Ronaldo will make his international debut there. The home team will try to make an impact in this match.

PSG is currently in first place in Ligue 1 and has had a respectable year thus far. The Parisian giants must win this week after losing to Rennes by a score of 1-0 in their previous match. 

Team News: Saudi Arabia All-Stars

This week, Cristiano Ronaldo may captain his team when he makes his debut in Saudi Arabia. David Ospina will not play against PSG on Thursday because he is still dealing with an elbow ailment.

Team News: PSG

Nuno Mendes and Marco Verratti are both currently having fitness issues, so it's possible they won't be able to play in this match.

Renato Sanchez and Vitinha have worked hard in the middle of the field and will remain in the starting lineup this week. Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi are all healthy and will be eligible for selection.