Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned Portuguese footballer and Al Nassr forward, is currently facing an injury setback, casting doubts over his participation in upcoming high-profile matches. Ronaldo reportedly suffered a calf injury, requiring a recovery period of at least two weeks. This development was confirmed by Al-Nassr's medical team to the club's manager, Luis Castro.
The injury occurred during a training session with Al Nassr. Ronaldo experienced mild muscle discomfort but continued to practice before being forced to end the session early due to increased discomfort. He is now undergoing treatment sessions and engaging in light exercises.
As a result, Ronaldo is expected to miss Al-Nassr's upcoming friendlies against Shanghai Shenhua on January 24 and Zhejiang on January 28. More significantly, there are concerns that he may not recover in time for the eagerly anticipated friendly game between Al Nassr and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, scheduled for February 1 at the Kingdom Arena. This match, part of the Riyadh Cup 2024, has been highly anticipated as potentially one of the last on-field encounters between Ronaldo and Messi, two of football's greatest rivals.
Inter Miami, which signed Messi on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, will also play against Al Hilal, another Saudi Pro League side, as part of their first international tour. However, Neymar, a key player for Al Hilal, will miss the event due to a long-term injury.
Apart from Ronaldo, Al Nassr's squad features notable players like Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte. Inter Miami, besides Messi, boasts of former FC Barcelona stars like Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
The last encounter between Messi and Ronaldo occurred in 2022 when Messi, then with Paris Saint-Germain, played against a joint team of Al Nassr and Al Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup, with PSG emerging victorious 5-4.
Ronaldo's absence from the upcoming matches, especially the "last dance" with Messi, would be a significant disappointment for football fans worldwide who have relished the rivalry and mutual respect between these two legendary players over the years. The football community eagerly awaits updates on Ronaldo's recovery and hopes for his swift return to the field.
