Inter Miami CF embarked on its first international tour in the 2024 preseason, heading to Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Season Cup. In this round-robin tournament, the team faced off against strong opponents, Al-Hilal SFC and Al Nassr FC, in two eagerly awaited matches.
The Chief Business Officer of Inter Miami CF, Xavier Asensi, expressed excitement about building lasting connections with passionate fans. He looked forward to connecting with new supporters in Saudi Arabia and hoped for a global audience tuning in to witness the exciting matchups.
Chris Henderson, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director, emphasized the importance of these matches as crucial tests for the team leading up to the upcoming season. The prospect of competing against high-quality opponents like Al-Hilal and Al Nassr excited him.
The first encounter took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Monday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. ET (9 p.m. Saudi Arabia Standard Time) against Al-Hilal, a team with an impressive 66 titles and coached by Jorge Jesus. Despite Neymar’s absence due to injury, the squad featured star players such as Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Rúben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Malcom.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m. ET (9 p.m. Saudi Arabia Standard Time), Inter Miami faced Al Nassr at the Kingdom Arena. The match showcased a showdown between Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the leading goal scorer in the Saudi Pro League. Coached by Luís Castro, Al Nassr included other stars like Sadio Mané and Aymeric Laporte.
Adding intrigue to the match, the longstanding rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, who had faced each other 35 times, continued. Messi held a record of 16 wins, 9 draws, and 21 goals with 12 assists, while Ronaldo secured 10 wins, 9 draws, and 20 goals with 1 assist in their encounters.
To attend these highly anticipated matches, fans could reserve tickets through the WeBook application. Website: https://webook.com/en