Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make his eagerly-anticipated Saudi debut in the coming days - and it looks to be a 'last dance' with Lionel Messi in a battle of football's most revered players with Paris Saint-Germain set to travel to the Middle East.
A meeting between the pair was touted throughout the World Cup before Portugal's surprise defeat to Morocco in the quarter-finals halted any chance of a potential final showdown between them.
Of course, not many would have predicted Ronaldo to be in the position he is currently in at the start of the season. Having begun the campaign at Manchester United, the Portugal forward produced arguably the worst form of his career, and once his interview with Piers Morgan was released containing about his reservations over manager Erik ten Hag, the Glazer family and the lack of progression made over the last decade, his contract was terminated.
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Ronaldo put pen to paper on a mega deal at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in December, ahead of the January transfer window. Fans have been eagerly awaiting his debut although he still has one game of a two-match domestic ban to serve - meaning PSG will likely be the first team he faces as it is a friendly match, where suspensions do not count.
Al-Nassr manager Rudi Garcia is not happy with the fixture arrangement, however. The Frenchman, who has managed Roma, Lille and Marseille in the past, believes the game should not have been scheduled within such a congested period which sees Al-Nassr play just three days later in the league.
"It (his debut) won't be with the Al-Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al-Nassr," Garcia told L'Equipe. "As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later.
"In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it's not a big deal, we are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it."
The match takes place on January 19, with Al-Nassr returning to league action on January 22 against Ettifaq.
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