AFP, Riyadh :
Al-Nassr thrashed Inter Miami 6-0 as injury ruled Cristiano Ronaldo out of a much-hyped showdown with Lionel Messi, who was limited to a late substitute appearance in Thursday’s friendly in Riyadh.
Ronaldo’s calf injury prompted Al-Nassr to cancel their two-game China tour last week and it denied him what could have potentially been a last match against longtime rival Messi.
The pair have won a combined 13 Ballon d’Or awards, with Messi taking home the prize for a record eighth time last year.
Their most recent meeting came in January 2023 when Ronaldo played in a Saudi select team beaten 5-4 by Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Instead, Brazilian Talisca upstaged the illustrious duo with a hat-trick as the Saudi Pro League side demolished their Major League Soccer (MLS) opponents, scoring three times in the first 12 minutes.
Otavio drilled in the opener as Miami lost the ball trying to play out from the back, bringing Ronaldo to his feet to applaud from the stands.
A sliding Talisca turned in Al-Nassr’s second as the visitors again paid the price for conceding possession near their own box.