Inter Miami says no deal in place to play in Saudi Arabia
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Football fans would not be able to see a Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo rematch just yet after Inter Miami refuted claims that they will be playing Al-Nassr.
PHOTOS: AFP
MIAMI – Inter Miami have said that they have not agreed to compete in Saudi Arabia in February 2024, refuting the claims by a promoter earlier on Nov 21 that the Major League Soccer (MLS) team would face two Saudi clubs.
Hours after the touting of a match between Lionel Messi’s Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr plus another with Al-Hilal, who have Neymar on their books, in the Riyadh Season Cup, the American club denied that any pre-season tour plans have been confirmed.
“Earlier today, an announcement was issued stating that Inter Miami CF is scheduled to play in the Riyadh Season Cup.
“This is inaccurate,” the Miami statement said.
“The release included statements attributed to team owner Jorge Mas. Mas has made no comments, publicly or privately, in relation to the pre-season tour.”
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who joined the David Beckham co-owned team in July and sparked a championship run in the Leagues Cup against American and Mexican clubs, has made Miami a desired team for global contests.
Earlier in November, Miami announced that a planned trip to China for matches had been called off due to “unforeseen circumstances in China”.
In this latest case, a Messi versus Ronaldo rematch proved too good to be true, Miami’s statement also said.
“Since Day 1, Inter Miami has set out to be a global brand. To this end, we have been in conversations to determine our 2024 pre-season schedule,” it added.
“We look forward to showcasing our players on Inter Miami’s first international tour, which will be announced in the coming weeks.”
Miami also boast Messi’s former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who combined for five Spanish La Liga crowns.
Messi, 36, led Argentina to their third World Cup crown in Qatar in 2022, after beating France on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw.
In January, Ronaldo made his first appearance in Saudi Arabia following his move to Al-Nassr with a Riyadh All-Star XI, who lost 5-4 to a Paris Saint-Germain side featuring Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. AFP
