Gerrard Dreams Of Messi Joining Ronaldo For Saudi Pro League Showdown

Steven Gerrard, the manager of Al-Ettifaq, expressed his desire for Lionel Messi to join the Saudi Pro League, following Cristiano Ronaldo's move. Both Messi and Ronaldo left European football in the 2022-23 season, with Ronaldo joining Al-Nassr and Messi moving to Inter Miami in MLS. These transfers marked the end of their legendary rivalry in European football.

Al-Hilal had previously tried to bring Messi to Saudi Arabia before he chose to play in the United States. Despite this, Gerrard remains hopeful that Messi might still consider a move to Saudi Arabia. He even suggested that Al-Ettifaq could be a potential destination for the Argentine star. "It would be a dream for me to have Messi at Al-Ettifaq. He is an incredible player and would be a great asset for the club," Gerrard told MBC Masr 2.

Gerrard acknowledged the challenges involved in convincing Messi to relocate but maintained that dreaming about such possibilities is harmless. "I know it's difficult for him to move to Saudi Arabia, but there's nothing wrong with dreaming," he added.

The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo has been one of the most iconic in football history. However, both players are unlikely to participate in the 2026 World Cup for their national teams. Gerrard refrained from choosing between them as the greatest player of their generation, stating: "Both Cristiano and Messi are incredible players with incredible stories in football."

He highlighted their different playing styles by saying, "Ronaldo is a great individual goalscorer, while Messi is a more complete team player. I can't really choose between them; they are both legends."

Ronaldo's Performance

In the 2023-24 season, Ronaldo topped the scoring charts in the Saudi Pro League with 35 goals in just 31 games. However, his performance at Euro 2024 was disappointing as he failed to score in a major international tournament for the first time in his career despite having 23 shots worth 3.6 expected goals (xG).

Messi's Current Form

On the other hand, Messi has not yet scored in three appearances for Argentina at this year's Copa America. Nevertheless, he has a chance to win his third consecutive international tournament with Argentina set to face Canada in the semi-finals on Tuesday.

This ongoing saga of two football legends continues to captivate fans worldwide. Whether or not Messi will join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia remains uncertain, but it certainly fuels excitement and speculation among sports enthusiasts.