TWO MILLION fans wanted tickets to Ronaldo vs Messi showcase

James Shearman

• Updated: 12 Jan 2023 18:58 GMT
• 3 min read

Over two million fans requested tickets to see Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr take on Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain, according to ESPN.

Ronaldo signed for the Saudi Pro League club at the end of 2022 but has yet to make his debut.

This could come on January 22, as Al-Nassr take on ninth-place side Ettifaq.

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo BANNED from making his Al Nassr debut

But, three days prior to that, a Saudi Arabian All-Star XI, comprised of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal players, will take on PSG in the Riyadh Season Cup.

The showcase event could see the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe line up at the King Fahd Stadium.

Neither team have announced their squads for the game, but fans will certainly expect to see the big stars take part.

Why Ronaldo's debut has been delayed

Ronaldo has been handed a two-game ban by the FA that also applies to Saudi Arabian football, meaning he missed the match against Al Ta'ee and will also sit out an encounter against Al Shabab on Saturday.

But he is eligible to feature in the match against PSG, albeit not for Al-Nassr, as head coach Rudi Garcia was keen to stress.

“It’s not under Al-Nassr’s jersey,” Garcia confirmed. “It’s a mix between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.

“As coach of Al-Nassr, I can’t be happy with this match.

“For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, it’s actually a good thing. But we have a league match three days later. In terms of the scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it’s not the end of the world."

Al-Nassr are looking to win a first league title since 2019. They are currently on top of the league, one point clear of Al Shabab, and will hope to continue that form with Ronaldo in the side.