Messi lands in Riyadh for PSG friendly against Ronaldo's Saudi All-Stars - in pictures

Mbappe and Neymar part of star-studded squad that will play game at King Fahd Stadium on Thursday

Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine star Lionel Messi upon arrival in Riyadh on Thursday, January 19, 2023. PSG play a friendly later in the day against a Saudi All-Star XI, including All Nassr's new signing Cristiano Ronaldo. AFP

PSG star Lionel Messi arrives at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday for a friendly against Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi XI. Reuters

Lionel Messi and his PSG teammates arrive in Riyadh on Thursday. AFP

PSG's French superstar Kylian Mbappe after arriving in Riyadh on Thursday. AFP

PSG's Brazilian star Neymar after arriving in Riyadh on Thursday. AFP

Neymar is welcomed by Turki Al Sheikh, an advisor at the Royal Court and head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority. Reuters

PSG's Achraf Hakimi is welcomed upon arrival. Reuters

PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Marquinhos and other teammates arrive in Riyadh ahead of their friendly against Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi All-Star XI on Thursday. Reuters

PSG's Juan Bernat is welcomed by Turki Al Sheikh, an advisor at the Royal Court and head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority. Reuters

PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma after arriving in Saudi Arabia. Reuters

PSG stars arrive in Riyadh ahead of their friendly against a Saudi All-Star XI which includes Al Nassr's new signing Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters

PSG's Juan Bernat and Fabian Ruiz after arriving in Riyadh. Reuters

Paris Saint-Germain's star-studded squad landed in Riyadh on Thursday for a friendly match against a Saudi XI that will pit Cristiano Ronaldo against his old rival Lionel Messi.

Al Nassr's new record signing Ronaldo will be playing his first game since moving to the Saudi club and has generated tremendous interest across the world, with more than two million requests for tickets. Also, one lucky Saudi real estate businessman – real estate entrepreneur Mushref Al Ghamdi – won a special VIP ticket to see the friendly after bidding $2.6 million at auction.

The Portuguese great will be a part of the “Riyadh Season Cup” exhibition game at the King Fahd Stadium on Thursday, leading an all-star team comprising players from Ronaldo's new club Al Nassr and city rivals Al Hilal.

PSG are not short of top-level talent. They arrived in the kingdom with World Cup winner Messi, Qatar 2022 finalist Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar, along with the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Portugal great Ronaldo, who turns 38 next month, signed a contract with Al Nassr that runs until 2025 and is reportedly worth more than $200 million.

PSG arrived in Saudi after meeting with fans and sponsors in Qatar on Wednesday and training in Doha.

The match will kick off at 9pm UAE time and will be shown on beIN Sports in the Mena region.