It has been reported that a Saudi Arabian real estate tycoon has spent a staggering €2.4 million (R44 million) on a ticket to watch Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo go up against one another on Thursday.
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According to French publication L’Equipe, Saudi businessman Mushref al-Ghamdi has gone all out to be able to see Messi and Ronaldo go head to head for what is potentially the last time on Thursday evening.
Messi, 35, will represent his club side Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly against an all-star team made up of players from Al Hilal and Al Nassr, which Ronaldo will captain.
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) January 18, 2023
It is said that the ticket purchased by Al-Ghamdi was put up for auction by Turki al-Sheikh, an advisor to the Royal Court and Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia.
The Argentine and his long-time rival have faced one another countless times over the course of their careers, with the 2009 UEFA Champions League final being among their more famous encounters.
On that occasion, Messi and his former club Barcelona came out victorious following a 2-0 win over Manchester United, with Ronaldo joining Real Madrid for a then-world-record transfer fee later that same year.
Spain is where fans around the world were treated to one of the sport's greatest-ever player rivalries as each forward regularly reached the 50-goal-a-season mark for their respective clubs.
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