Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo went head-to-head for possibly the final time earlier this week.
The legendary superstars, who are both widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers of all time, locked horns in Saudi Arabia as Paris Saint-Germain took on a Riyadh All-Star XI.
Ronaldo received the Man of the Match award after scoring two first-half goals, while Messi netted the opening goal of the game in the third minute.
PSG eventually sealed a 5-4 victory at the King Fahd International Stadium. Ronaldo and Messi both played around an hour before being subbed off.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 19: Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain looks towards Cristiano Ronaldo of Riyadh XI during the Winter Tour 2023 friendly between Paris Saint-Germain and Riyadh XI at King Fahd International Stadium on January 19, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Clip of Messi during medal ceremony goes viral
Although it was only an exhibition match, medals were handed out to both sets of players after the full-time whistle.
Footage from the medal ceremony shows the person handing them out looking particularly thrilled to meet Messi.
The likes of Ronaldo, Neymar and Keylor Navas didn't quite receive the same reaction.
The clip, titled ‘Messi is always special’, has subsequently gone viral on social media.
Watch it here:
Now let’s check out some the reaction from fans:
Is Lionel Messi the GOAT?
Messi further cemented his status as the greatest footballer of all time, in the eyes of many football supporters around the world, after winning the World Cup with Argentina last month.
The World Cup was the trophy that Messi craved most, and the one that threatened to evade him throughout his illustrious career.
But at his fifth - and potentially final - World Cup, Messi inspired his beloved national team to glory in Qatar, scoring seven goals over the course of the tournament and producing a series of breathtaking individual performances.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winners' Trophy while holding the adidas Golden Boot award after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Ronaldo is now earning a fortune at Al-Nassr
Ronaldo’s final World Cup didn’t have the same fairytale ending but the 37-year-old will be desperate to flourish with new club Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner became the highest-paid footballer of all time when he signed for the Saudi Arabian outfit, putting pen to paper on a deal worth a staggering £177 million a year.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 03: Al-Nassr's new forward Cristiano Ronaldo greets the fans during his unveiling at the Mrsool Park Stadium on January 3, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
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