To lose your mind ... The meeting which will oppose Thursday in Ryad the Paris SG, of the Argentinian world champion Lionel Messi, to a selection composed of the best players of the Saudi formations of Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, new club of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, triggers behavior that is irrational to say the least.
To promote this friendly match, Turki al-Sheikh, adviser to the Royal Court and head of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, had launched a charity auction.
At stake: a ticket to the match with VIP benefits such as photo opportunities with the players and access to the dressing rooms.
The auction, which started at 1 million Saudi riyals (245,000 euros), ended with an offer of 10 million riyals (2.4 million euros) formulated by a real estate magnate, Mushref al -Ghamdi.
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The match will be Cristiano Ronaldo's first in the Saudi kingdom since signing from Al-Nassr in late December.
It will precede his league debut, scheduled for Sunday.
The 37-year-old five-time Ballon d'Or, who has signed up for two and a half years with Al-Nassr, will receive 200 million euros and as much to be the future ambassador of the Saudi bid for the 2030 World Cup.
In addition to Ronaldo, the selection of players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal will notably include Salem Al-Dawsari, author of the winning goal in Saudi Arabia's surprise victory against Argentina (2-1) in the first round of the recent World Cup in Qatar.
Opposite, PSG will present themselves among others with the Argentinian world champion Lionel Messi, the French vice-world champion Kylian Mbappé and the Moroccan semi-finalist Achraf Hakimi.
The Parisians arrived in Qatar this Wednesday where their promotional tour begins.