File image of Cristiano Ronaldo throughout a coaching session together with his new staff Al Nassr
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo is about to play in Saudi Arabia for the primary time since becoming a member of Al Nassr after he was named as captain of Riyadh ST XI for an exhibition match towards Lionel Messi’s Paris St Germain, officers introduced on Monday.

The 37-year-old Portuguese will lead the staff made up of gamers from Saudi sides Al Hilal and Al Nassr towards Messi’s PSG in what would be the newest chapter of the celebrated international soccer rivalry.

The line-up additionally options Saudi internationals Salem Al-Dawsari, who scored within the shock group-stage win over Argentina in final 12 months’s World Cup, and Saud Abdulhamid.

Paris St Germain’s Lionel Messi. File
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

The extremely anticipated showdown, which reportedly had greater than 2 million on-line ticket requests, will happen in Riyadh on January 19.

The bidding for a VIP “Beyond Imagination” ticket to the match has already topped 10 million riyals ($2.66 million) in an public sale that’s set to finish on Tuesday.

Ronaldo missed the primary two home video games for Al Nassr after being suspended by England’s Football Association for knocking a telephone out of a fan’s hand in April.

The Portuguese ahead arrived on the Arab staff earlier this month on a deal till 2025 estimated by media to be price greater than 200 million euros ($216.34 million).

Ronaldo is about to make his first aggressive look within the Saudi Pro League on Sunday when Al Nassr host Al Ettifaq.