Cristiano Ronaldo to miss Al-Nassr's friendly against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami with injury

The friendly was billed as the latest and potentially final installment of the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry

Cristiano Ronaldo has been ruled out of Al-Nassr's friendly against Inter Miami in Riyadh on Thursday, a match that was touted as the latest, and perhaps final, edition of the player's longstanding on-field rivalry with Lionel Messi.

Al-Nassr boss confirmed Ronaldo's exclusion in a press conference on Wednesday, though there was not mention as to the nature of the injury. It is the same issue that kept the player out of the Saudi Pro League club's midseason tour of China last week, which was later postponed. Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro said he expects Ronaldo to return to training in the next few days.

Miami went to Saudi Arabia for a two-match series, which they kicked off on Monday with a 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal. Both matches were originally intended to be star-studded events, but injuries have thrown a wrench in those plans for the Saudi clubs. In addition to Ronaldo's injury, Al-Hilal's Neymar missed the match as he recovers from an ACL tear. That said, Miami's high-profile quartet of Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are still available to play for the visitors.

Thursday's match was originally expected to be the first meeting between Messi and Ronaldo since last year when Paris Saint-Germain beat the Riyadh All-Stars 5-4 in a friendly. Messi scored once for his then-club PSG while Ronaldo scored twice in a matchup that could now be the final installment in one of soccer's most high-profile on-field rivalries.