Cristiano Ronaldo said he was “happy” to play again and to score against “old friends” in Riyadh Season Team’s 5-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Thursday’s exhibition game in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.
Ronaldo, 37, scored twice in his first match since signing for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr following his departure from Manchester United in November.
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The Portugal forward, who captained Riyadh All-Stars XI comprising players from his new club and crosstown rivals Al Hilal, was voted man of the match.
Ronaldo faced long-time rival Lionel Messi and former Real Madrid teammates Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas. Before the game at the King Fahd International Stadium, Ronaldo was seen saluting PSG’s Kylian Mbappe before hugging Messi.
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Ronaldo wrote on Twitter: “So happy to be back on the pitch, and on the score sheet!! And nice to see some old friends!”
So happy to be back on the pitch, and on the score sheet!! And nice to see some old friends!👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/qZqKGHsrVD
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) January 19, 2023
Messi and Ronaldo have dominated major individual awards for over a decade.
The former Barcelona forward has won the Ballon d’Or award a record seven times, followed by Ronaldo with five.
Messi admitted in the past he missed his rivalry with Ronaldo after he left Real Madrid in 2018 to join Juventus. Moreover, Messi said that their “special” rivalry would be “remembered forever.”
Ronaldo has yet to feature for Al-Nassr because of a ban he picked up while at United.