The next game Lionel Messi will play for Inter Miami: could it be against Cristiano Ronaldo?
US Open Cup defeat has fans looking toward a rumored friendly
Inter Miami fans faced disappointment as they watched their team fall in the US Open Cup Final, and Messi's absence made it even more difficult to swallow.
With just five games left in Inter Miami's MLS season, there are many unknowns about Messi's injury status and how many games he can play. But a report from Saudi Arabia has offered a new possibility for the next major club fixture for Messi to play in.
A post by Saudi journalist Ali Alabdallh on X indicated that an international marketing company is interested in bringing Messi vs. Ronaldo to China with a friendly between Al Nassr and Inter Miami.
Watch the incredible change in Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia
This is not a new idea, as the two legends met last January for the first time since Cristiano left Europe in a friendly between the Al Nassr and Al Hilal all-stars and Messi's former club PSG.
Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino was strong in his post match statement after they lost the US Open Cup final 2-1 to Houston Dynamo.
«He will surely play before the end of the season,» Martino said about Messi. «We will go match by match defining the situation to see at what point the medical department tells us that he is fit to play without taking risks.»
The Pink and Black are in 14th place out of 15 MLS Eastern Conference teams. They are currently on 32 points, five points away from the last playoff place. Inter Miami has five league games remaining, while most other teams have three or four, due to the extended runs in the Leagues Cup and the US Open Cup.
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