Al-Nassr's star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, is currently dealing with a calf injury that requires up to two weeks of treatment and rehabilitation. This setback puts his participation in the upcoming friendly against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami at risk.
According to reports from Al-Riyadiya, the medical team at Al-Nassr informed manager Luis Castro about Ronaldo's calf injury, specifically affecting the back foot muscle. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been attending the club's medical clinic for the past two days, undergoing treatment sessions and engaging in light exercises in the fitness reportedly.
The Portugal-born football icon is anticipated to be sidelined for Al-Nassr's upcoming friendly matches against Shanghai Shenhua on January 24 and Zhejiang on January 28. However, if his recovery takes longer than expected, there is a possibility that Ronaldo might miss the highly awaited friendly clash against Messi's Inter Miami at the Kingdom Arena on February 1.
It's worth noting that the last encounter between Messi and Ronaldo took place in 2022 during the Riyadh Season Cup, where Messi, then with Paris Saint-Germain, faced Al Nassr and Al Hilal, securing a 5-4 victory against Ronaldo's current domestic side.
Ronaldo's Cryptic Message After Messi's FIFA Best Men's Player Win
Following Lionel Messi's achievement of winning his third The Best FIFA Men's Player award on January 16, Al-Nassr's star Cristiano Ronaldo shared a cryptic message on his social media handle of Instagram. The award ceremony, held in London, saw Messi emerge victorious, securing the prestigious title for 2023 amidst strong competition, particularly from players like Erling Haaland.
The selection process involved votes from national team captains, coaches, journalists, and fans, with Messi clinching the victory based on more first-choice nominations. Kylian Mbappe, Messi's former teammate at PSG, secured the third spot in the rankings. Notably, Ronaldo was not a part of the voting process after his below-par 2022-23 campaign.
Shortly after Messi's win, Ronaldo took to social media to express, posting a cryptic message: "Back for more!" This statement left fans and followers intrigued about Ronaldo's future plans in the world of football.