The long-awaited so-called “Last Dance” between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will occur on the first of February. The two have been the best players of our generation and possibly ever, and this could be the last competitive match between the two superstars.
Leo made a significant transfer to Inter Miami in July of 2023 after being with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for only two seasons. Ronaldo, on the other hand, had a massive transfer from his wonderboy team Manchester United. This follows his return to the club, but he ultimately only played one season for the Red Devils, eventually signing a 200 million-dollar-a-year contract with Saudi Arabian squad Al Nassr.
The two played each other earlier last year when PSG traveled to Riyadh to play Al Nassr in an exhibition game. Both stars found themselves on the scoresheet, with Ronaldo netting two and Messi one. These two players have had memorable games against each other, with the most memorable, in my opinion, being the last-second finisher by Leo Messi in the 2017 El Clasico (the name for a Barcelona vs. Real Madrid matchup) where Barca edged out the tie 2-2; it was a matchup for the ages.
A crazy thing that happens when these face each other is the die-hard fans; when PSG went up against the Saudi Arabia All-Stars, a fan went to the extreme, thinking that it was the LAST time these two would face each other (well, surprise, it wasn’t). They bid on a ticket and won, buying it at a whopping 10 million Saudi Riyals, equivalent to 2.6 million USD. The ticket included being in the picture with the winning team, attending the opening ceremony, and meeting Ronaldo, Messi, and PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. The ticket money would later go to a Saudi Arabian charity. I believe paying 2.6 million for a ticket is too extreme to see two soccer legends, but at least the guy got what he paid for.
Overall, THIS should be Ronaldo and Messi’s last match with their clubs as both are sadly getting older each season, with Ronaldo at 38 and Messi at 36. They plan to retire as one of the best rivals in football and all sports.
