How much would you be willing to pay to see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the same pitch?
A Saudi tycoon decided to shell out
2.6 million dollars
for a ticket to the friendly between
Paris Saint Germain
, where the world champion is playing with Argentina in Qatar 2022, and the combination of the best players from Al-Nassr, the new club of the Portuguese, and Al-Hilal directed by Marcelo Gallardo.
According to
RMC Sport
, one of the best-informed media about PSG news, "
a Saudi real-estate magnate
has paid 2.4 million euros to buy a ticket for the friendly match between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at an auction. "
Thursday in Riyadh".
To promote this friendly match,
Turki al-Sheikh
, an adviser to the Royal Court and head of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority, had launched a charity auction.
At stake was not only a ticket to the match, but also VIP benefits: photo sessions with players and access to the dressing room.
The auction, which
began at 1 million Saudi riyals
(245,000 euros, about $266,000), ended with an offer of 10 million riyals ($2,600,000) made by a real estate magnate, Mushref al-Ghamdi.
The announcement was made by Turki al-Sheikh on his Twitter account.
"Congratulations my brother Musharraf Al-Ghamdi...
Ten million rials for charity
and charity platform... And win a ticket beyond imagination. Get ready. Our program starts tomorrow, God willing.. And in the balance of your good works, Lord," he wrote.
CR7's first match in the Saudi kingdom
The match will face the PSG of the Argentine world champion Lionel Messi against a team made up of the best players from the Saudi formations of Al-Nassr, the new club of the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, and Al-Hilal, which will be led by the Argentine
Marcelo Gallardo
.
Marcelo Gallardo greets Cristiano Ronaldo in a photo shared by the organization of the friendly cup.
The match will be CR7's first in the Saudi kingdom since he signed with Al-Nassr from Manchester United at the end of December.
It will thus precede his league debut, scheduled for Sunday.
The 37-year-old five-time Ballon d'Or, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al-Nassr,
will receive 200 million euros
and the same to be the future ambassador of the probable Saudi bid for the 2030 World Cup.
In addition to Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal squad will include
Salem Al-Dawsari
, scorer of the winning goal in Saudi Arabia's upset win against Argentina on their World Cup debut in Qatar.
Salem Al-Dawsari celebrates at the disappointment of the Argentines in Doha.
Photo AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan
Opposite, PSG will feature not only world champion Lionel Messi, but also French runner-up
Kylian Mbappé
and Moroccan semifinalist
Achraf Hakimi
.
look also
PSG vs.
Riyadh Season: day, time and how to watch the game directed by Gallardo with the reunion of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Gallardo trained Cristiano Ronaldo in the run-up to the friendly against Messi's PSG in Saudi Arabia
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