- Planned meeting between rivals spoiled by injury
- Hosts thrash MLS visitors 6-0 as Messi comes on as sub
What was billed as a potential final meeting between longtime rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t materialize, but there was no doubt which of the superstars enjoyed Al-Nassr’s 6-0 rout of Inter Miami more on Thursday.
Messi spent all but the final seven minutes on the Miami bench looking increasingly glum as Al-Nassr, cheered on by Ronaldo sitting high in the Kingdom Arena stands recovering from a calf injury, ran riot in this friendly and scored three goals in the first 12 minutes.