Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are considered two of the greatest soccer players of all time, and one fan is paying quite a great sum to see what could be their final clash. A Saudi Arabian real estate magnate reportedly paid $2.6 million for a VIP ticket to a match between Messi's Paris Saint-Germain and a team consisting of players from Ronaldo's Al Nassr and Al Hilal.
The exhibition will be held at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh on Thursday. It will mark the Saudi Pro League debut of Ronaldo, 37, who signed with Al Nassr late last month on a contract worth $75 million annually.
To build excitement for the match, Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Entertainment Turki al-Sheikh announced a charity auction for a "Beyond Imagination" ticket. This ticket would allow the winning fan to attend the opening ceremony, access the team locker rooms, and meet players such as Ronaldo, Messi, and PSG's Kylian Mbappé.
Bidding for the "Beyond Imagination" ticket reportedly began at 1 million Saudi riyals ($266,000) before closing at 10 million riyals ($2.6 million). The proceeds, al-Sheikh said, will go to the Saudi charity Ehsan.
Ronaldo will begin his tenure with Al Nassr after an acrimonious divorce from Manchester United. On Nov. 22, the English Premier League club terminated Ronaldo's contract immediately after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said the team was "betraying" him in a television interview. Manchester United described the decision as mutual, however, the club also thanked Ronaldo for his "immense contribution" over two stints at Old Trafford (2003-09, 2021-22).
