Cristiano Ronaldo to Make Debut as Captain of Riyadh All Star XI in Friendly Match Against Paris Saint-Germain in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make his debut in Saudi Arabia soon. Ronaldo has been appointed as the captain of the Riyadh All Star XI. Ronaldo joined the Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, in January after agreeing to terminate his contract with Manchester United.
So far, Ronaldo has missed two competitive matches for Al Nassr due to a suspension he carried over from England after kicking a fan's phone.
Now, Ronaldo is confirmed to debut in Saudi Arabia in a friendly match against Paris Saint-Germain on Friday (1/20/2023) early morning Eastern Time at the King Fahd International Stadium. According to Reuters, Ronaldo will be the captain of the Riyadh All Star XI.
The team consists of players from two top Saudi Arabian clubs, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.
The Saudi national team star who scored the goal against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, Salem Al-Dawsari, will also be in the lineup.
It is not yet confirmed if Lionel Messi will be on the PSG squad. However, the potential duel of these two mega-stars is reportedly causing online ticket demand to reach two million.
Meanwhile, the VIP "Beyond Imagination" ticket auction for the match has reportedly exceeded 10 million riyals (about $2.7 million USD). The auction will close on Tuesday (1/17/2023) local time.
Cristiano Ronaldo himself is expected to play his first competitive match with Al Nassr on Sunday (1/22/2023) in a match against Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League
