Inter Miami have confirmed they will play Al-Nassr in a friendly match on February 1, pitting Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo against each other for the 36th time.
The fixture is part of the Riyadh Cup, where the Floridians will also play Al-Hilal on January 29.
Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said: “These matches will offer important tests for our team.
“We’re excited for our group to get the chance to go up against teams with as much quality as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.”
Nagbe joins elite club
Columbus Crew captain Darlington Nagbe became only the 10th man to win four MLS titles after skipping his side to victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday night.
After the 2-1 win, the 33-year-old midfielder said: “The special thing about tonight is we didn’t get the chance to pack the stadium a couple of years ago.
“I wasn’t part of the game, so I’m happy I got to be part of this game day.
“I know there were so many fans here who didn’t get the opportunity to be part of that game and to be here and support us. The fans were incredible, the team was incredible.”
nter off to Hong Kong
Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will play a friendly in Hong Kong on Thursday, February 4 as part of their preparations for the 2024 MLS season.
The match against a team of players from the top tier in Hong Kong will be played at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium.
Co-owner David Beckham said: “Hong Kong is a beautiful city with a great sports scene.
“Throughout my career, I have spent a lot of time in Asia. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to bring Inter Miami to play our first international tour match in this fantastic city.”
Another Messi moment
Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has added another award to his trophy cabinet after being named Time’s Athlete of the Year.
The Argentina captain inspired Inter Miami to their first-ever trophy in 2023, scoring 10 goals in seven matches during the club’s successful run in the Leagues Cup.
He also aided David Beckham’s franchise in a late play-off push in Major League Soccer but the Florida-based outfit fell just short.
California Dreamin’
LAFC have their eyes set on back-to-back MLS Cup titles after setting up a showdown with Colombus Crew in the final.
The Californian outfit beat Houston Dynamo 2-0 thanks to a Ryan Hollingshead strike and Franco Escobar own goal.
Now they have the chance to become the first reigning champions to defend their crown since neighbours LA Galaxy managed the feat in 2011 and 2012.
The winner-takes-all clash will take place on Saturday with Crew toppling FC Cincinnati 3-2 to book their place.