Al Nassr thrashed Inter Miami 6-0 in a friendly on Thursday, while an injured Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, making a late substitute appearance, watched from the sidelines.
Ronaldo missed the highly anticipated duel due to a calf injury, leaving Brazilian forward Talisca to steal the show with a hat-trick for the Saudi Pro League side.
Inter Miami, despite fielding former Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, were overwhelmed from the start. Otavio and Talisca scored twice in the opening 12 minutes, showcasing Al Nassr’s dominance.
Aymeric Laporte added a stunning long-range free-kick, catching Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender off his guard. Talisca converted a penalty and Mohammed Maran headed home to pile on the misery for the visitors.
Talisca completed his treble, mimicking Ronaldo’s celebration, before Messi entered for the final minutes with the score already 6-0.
This result extends Inter Miami’s winless pre-season run as they gear up for the new MLS season starting February 21. This friendly also marks the end of their Middle Eastern tour before they continue in Asia with matches in Hong Kong and Japan.
While fans missed the anticipated Ronaldo-Messi clash, Al Nassr delivered a convincing performance, showcasing their strength against an International Miami still finding their pre-season form.
