Sports
Inter Miami suffers 6-0 defeat to Al-Nassr in frustrating Messi vs. Ronaldo Clash
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
International
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes History as First Player to Score in Six World Cups
Cristiano Ronaldo made football history on Tuesday by becoming the first player ever to score in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
The Portuguese forward opened the scoring in Portugal’s Group K match against Uzbekistan in Houston. Just six minutes into the game, Ronaldo found the back of the net with a right-footed strike from inside the box, sending the Portuguese fans into celebration.
The “Commander” sparked excitement throughout the stadium with his iconic celebration, as supporters joined in with his famous “Siuuu!” chant to honor another milestone in the career of one of football’s greatest stars.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo has now scored in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and North America 2026. With his two goals in this tournament, he has surpassed Lionel Messi’s record, as the Argentine has scored in every World Cup he played except South Africa 2010.
The Portuguese captain has also reached nine World Cup goals, matching Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the history of the tournament.
Ronaldo’s achievement came just one day after Messi also made history by becoming the outright leading scorer in World Cup history, reaching 18 goals after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.
With his appearance at the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has also extended another remarkable record by becoming the first player to participate in six consecutive editions of the tournament, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential players in football history.
International
Mbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq
Kylian Mbappé moved another step closer to World Cup history on Monday, scoring twice against Iraq to reach 16 career goals in the tournament and draw level with German legend Miroslav Klose on the all-time scoring chart.
The French forward found the net in the 14th and 54th minutes of France’s Group I clash in Philadelphia, registering his second consecutive brace of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbappé’s achievement came on the same day that Argentina captain Lionel Messi set a new all-time World Cup scoring record. The Argentine star scored twice against Austria to raise his career total to 18 goals, surpassing the previous mark of 16 held by Klose.
Klose established his record on July 8, 2014, during Germany’s historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup semifinals in Belo Horizonte.
Before facing Iraq, Mbappé was tied with German striker Gerd Müller on 14 World Cup goals. His first goal of the match lifted him to 15, drawing level with Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário.
The second strike moved the Real Madrid forward to 16 goals, allowing him to surpass Ronaldo, match Klose’s tally, and position himself just two goals behind Messi in the race for World Cup immortality.
The match also marked a personal milestone for Mbappé, as he made his 100th appearance for the French national team.
At 27 years old, the French superstar remains firmly in pursuit of Messi’s newly established record and continues to strengthen his legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history.
Sports
Ancelotti leaves door open for Neymar’s return to Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad
Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, current manager of the Brazil national football team, has opened the door to the possibility of Neymar being included in the final squad for the 2026 World Cup, according to an interview published Saturday by L’Equipe.
“At the moment, he is being evaluated by the Brazilian Football Confederation and by me. He still has two months to prove he has the conditions to play in the next World Cup,” Ancelotti said.
Neymar, 34, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was left out of the most recent national team call-up for friendlies against France and Croatia. He is also still working to regain full fitness with Santos FC.
Since returning to his club, Neymar has played only a handful of matches in the Brasileirão and the Copa Sudamericana, including an upcoming match against San Lorenzo on April 28. These games could be key for him to convince Ancelotti ahead of the final squad announcement on May 19.
“Neymar has made and continues to make history in Brazilian football. He is a great talent, and it is normal for people to believe he can help us win the next World Cup,” the Italian coach added.
When asked whether the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player must be at full fitness to earn a call-up, Ancelotti admitted he does not have a definitive answer but believes Neymar “is capable of returning to 100%.”
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