Inter Miami faced a humiliating 6-0 defeat against Saudi club Al-Nassr on Thursday in a friendly match where Lionel Messi came on as a substitute in the final minutes, and Cristiano Ronaldo was sidelined due to injury.

This match was supposed to be a new chapter, and perhaps the last one, in the legendary rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, the former stars of Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have a combined total of 13 Ballon d’Or awards.

The Argentine captain had a token presence on the Kingdom Arena pitch in Riyadh, entering in the 83rd minute when Inter was already trailing by six goals.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, watched the game from a box due to a calf problem he has been dealing with for days.

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Inter, which had already suffered a 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal in Riyadh on Monday, continues to leave a dismal impression in the preseason, accumulating three losses and one draw, with a goal difference of three goals scored and 11 conceded.

One of Al-Nassr’s goals was a spectacular long-range free-kick from Spanish international defender Aymeric Laporte from his own half.

The goal, making it 3-0 in the 12th minute, had an exuberant Cristiano Ronaldo on his feet, celebrating with arms raised.

Brazilian Anderson Talisca scored a hat-trick (minutes 2, 51 from the penalty spot, and 73), and goals were also netted by his compatriot Otávio (3) and Saudi Mohammed Maran (68′) for Al-Nassr, the second-placed team in the local league.

Inter’s coach, Gerardo Martino, kept Messi on the bench for much of the game due to precautionary reasons after feeling some physical discomfort on Monday, according to the Miami Herald.

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Uruguayan Luis Suárez, the new signing for the MLS team, wasted several clear opportunities in the 69 minutes he was on the field.

• Ovation for Messi –

Condemned for defensive weaknesses, Inter suffered a brutal defeat in the most anticipated match of its first international tour, where it aims to maximize the global impact of Messi’s arrival last year.

Similar to the Al-Hilal match, Martino’s team found themselves at a significant disadvantage on the scoreboard early in the game.

With only three minutes played, a loss of the ball by young Argentine defender Tomás Avilés facilitated a combination play by Al-Nassr, ending with Otávio’s powerful strike into the top corner.

Talisca soon opened his account thanks to another error in Inter’s ball distribution, and Laporte made it 3-0 with a humiliating goal, taking advantage of Inter’s goalkeeper Drake Callender being off his line to score from a free-kick from more than 60 meters.

With a broad smile, Ronaldo enjoyed the Al-Nassr goals from his teammates. The Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, playing for the Saudi team, was substituted after half an hour due to an injury suffered in Suárez’s first missed opportunity.

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The game had several moments of tension, especially in a scuffle before halftime resulting from a strong challenge by Nawaf Al-Boushal on Noah Allen, in which Busquets was booked.

Inter failed to react with Messi on the bench, and after the break, they conceded two more goals from Talisca, one from the penalty spot, and Maran’s header from a corner.

Suárez, whom goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah denied with a close-range shot in the 62nd minute, was replaced seven minutes later, as Messi began warming up, causing excitement in the stands.

With seven minutes left, and after Talisca had already put Al-Nassr 6-0 up on a swift counterattack, Messi entered the field amid the euphoria of over 25,000 fans.

The Argentine, who had a substantial offer to join Saudi football last year, could hardly make an impact in the final minutes.

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After concluding the Saudi tour, Inter will travel to Hong Kong to face a local team on February 4 and then to Japan to play against Vissel Kobe three days later.

A home friendly against Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s childhood team, will conclude Inter’s preparations for the new MLS season, starting on February 21.