Cristiano Ronaldo played his first match since the World Cup, in an exhibition game in Saudi Arabia.
The former Manchester United striker featured for the Riyadh All-Stars against Paris Saint-Germain.
This friendly seemed engineered to pit Ronaldo against Lionel Messi, possibly for the last time, but who knows what the future holds.
Messi was of course joined by star-studded teammates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, making the match a tough task for 37-year-old Ronaldo.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loan deals for January 2023
Ronaldo returns to action
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Riyadh All-Stars were beaten 5-4 by PSG, with the Portuguese star playing 70 minutes.
He scored two goals, including one penalty, while Lionel Messi scored once for PSG, in a game where Juan Bernat was sent off.
Ronaldo was fawned over by the crowds, who cheered wildly every time his face was shown on the big screen. Even with his team losing, this was a successful first match in Saudi Arabia for the superstar.
After the game Ronaldo posted on Instagram and received a positive response from former Manchester United teammate Diogo Dalot.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in November by mutual consent, after expressing his unhappiness with a lack of playing time, along with other gripes about the club’s direction.
United remain unbeaten since Ronaldo left, however, and have been on a winning streak, with the players rallying to Erik ten Hag’s cause.
If the striker is as happy as he looks in Saudi Arabia, then this is a move which will benefit both parties, where he can bask in a situation where he is fawned over.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
