Lionel Messi makes Instagram post promoting Riyadh Season Cup involving Inter Miami, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr and other Saudi club

Lionel Messi recently made a promotional social media post for the Riyadh Season Cup 2024, where he will meet familiar foe Cristiano Ronaldo and his club Al-Nassr. Al-Hilal will also play in the competition.

The Riyadh Season Cup will be part of Inter Miami's pre-season preparations ahead of the 2024 MLS regular season. Fans are buzzed about the prospect of Messi and Ronaldo locking horns on a football pitch again.

Ahead of the highly anticipated exhibition tournament, Messi has made a social media post, writing:

"I can’t wait to be part of #RiyadhSeasonCup with my team Inter Miami CF as we face top Saudi clubs in a historic championship."

While Ronaldo and Messi are set to reignite their historic rivalry in a one-off clash, Al-Hilal superstar Neymar Jr. won't be a part of the tournament. The Brazilian ace is yet to recover from his long-term ankle injury.

Inter Miami will take on Al-Hilal on January 29, before playing Al-Nassr on February 1. The two Riyadh sides, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, will clash on February 8.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi faced each other in the Riyadh Season Cup last season as well. Ronaldo was part of the Riyadh XI side, consisting of players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, that took on Messi's Paris Saint-Germain. Stars like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also featured in that game.

PSG won the match 5-4. Ronaldo, however, left his mark, scoring twice for Riyadh XI before being subbed off. The contest marked Ronaldo's first game in Saudi football.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi: One last dance?

Over the years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have given fans many memorable duels to savor. Their first face-off came in the 2007-08 season when Manchester United played Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

After Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid in 2009, the rivalry intensified. Los Blancos and Barca, the two top teams in Spanish football, locked horns regularly. The added intrigue of the two best players in the world sharing the pitch made the contests a spectacle.

The upcoming Al-Nassr vs. Inter Miami clash, however, could very well be the last time the two legends play against each other. Lionel Messi is now 36 and Cristiano Ronaldo is nearing 39. Given both footballers are in the twilight of their remarkable careers, every chance to see them on the same pitch is a bonus.