Lionel Messi: PSG Star Rejected Neymar’s Offer to Take Penalty vs Ronaldo Cristiano’s Riyadh All Stars

Lionel Messi: PSG Star Rejected Neymar’s Offer to Take Penalty vs Ronaldo Cristiano’s Riyadh All Stars

Martin Moses
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:23 PM
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  • Lionel Messi subtly refused an opportunity to get a brace during a midseason friendly in Riyadh
  • Messi was offered a chance by Neymar to take a penalty but the Argentine politely turned it down
  • PSG played against Cristiano Ronaldo's Riyadh All-Stars with the game living up to its potential

Lionel Messi squared up with his greatest rival Cristiano Ronaldo when the two met for an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia.

It has been termed as possibly the last meeting between the two greats who have shared the grandest of stages for more than a decade. Messi's Paris Saint-Germain beat Riyadh All-Stars in a nine-goal thriller.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Riyadh Season, PSG
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe) after the Riyadh Season Cup football match between Riyadh All-Stars and PSG at the King Fahd Stadium on January 19, 2023. Photo by Mohammed Saad/Anadolu Agency
Source: Getty Images

Fresh from winning the World Cup last month, Messi took less than three minutes to open the scoring. Ronaldo then got a brace of his own with Marquinhos scoring a second one for PSG.

The French giants had a chance to head into the half-time break with a lead when they were awarded a penalty kick.

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Neymar took charge of the penalty, but a new video has shown that he was willing to give it to Messi. PSG has had their fair share of penalty controversies this season.

The Brazilian appeared to ask the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner whether he was willing to have a go from the spot. Messi is seen shaking his head and Neymar proceeds to take the set piece.

His resultant tame effort is saved comfortably by Mohamed Al Owais. PSG had a second penalty in the game with Kylian Mbappe stepping and scoring the fourth goal for his side.

Both Messi and Ronaldo were withdrawn after one hour.

Mbappe's moment with Ronaldo

Sports Brief has also reported that Mbappe shared a wholesome moment with his idol Ronaldo during PSG's exhibition match against Ryadh XI.

The French champions who are on a mid-season tour in the Middle East crossed paths with a select side from Riyadh at the King Fahd Stadium on Thursday evening.

The said fixture coincided with Ronaldo's first bow on Saudi soil following his sensational move to Al-Nassr in the winter transfer.

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Martin Moses
Martin Moses is a sports journalist with over five years of experience in media. He graduated from Multimedia University of Kenya (Bachelor of Journalism, 2017-2021)
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