Cristiano Ronaldo to play as Captain vs PSG match

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Cristiano Ronaldo has been named captain of Al Nassr-Al Hilal’s combined XI for this week’s friendly against Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make his Saudi Arabia debut against Lionel Messi’s PSG. He’ll most likely play in a friendly between Les Parisiens. And an All-Star XI made up of Al Nassr and Al Hilal players.

The match is set to take place on Thursday, January 19 at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. Rudi Garcia, the manager of Al-Nassr, recently confirmed that the Portuguese legend will play in the friendly. It will be his debut for the Saudi Pro League table-toppers.

It has now been revealed that Ronaldo will captain the All-Star XI as well as play in the exhibition match. He has been tasked with leading Riyadh’s combined team against Messi and company.

The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Entertainment, Turki Al-Sheikh, confirmed the news on Twitter. He shared a video on social media of himself handing the armband to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to make his Al Nassr debut

While Cristiano Ronaldo will play in this week’s friendly against PSG, it is worth noting that he has yet to make his Al Nassr debut. Despite joining Al-Aalami at the end of December, he has yet to play for the club.

The 37-year-old was suspended for smashing an Everton fan’s phone last April and thus missed Al Nassr’s last two matches. He is now expected to make his debut for his new club against Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday, January 22.

Could Lionel Messi join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia?

Argentina won their first FIFA World Cup in 36 years last month in Qatar, led by Lionel Messi. Despite his age, he has demonstrated that he is still at the top of his game.

However, in recent weeks, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. The Middle Eastern country is eager to attract more high-profile players, and Lionel Messi is also on their radar.

Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League are said to be interested in signing the PSG superstar, whose contract expires this summer. It remains to be seen whether they can close such a deal.

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