Mashable:  Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia recently joked that he preferred Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo for the team.

In response to the announcement that Ronaldo had been transferred to Al-Nassr, Garcia stated during a press conference, "First I wanted to bring Messi from Doha. I tried to bring Messi directly from Doha."

Al Nassr coach, Rudi Garcia, asked about Ronaldo before the official announcement: "I wanted to bring Messi from Doha."

Ronaldo's new coach is a Messi fan 

pic.twitter.com/H6NsAqpCAn

— Didi (@LeoPrime10i) December 30, 2022
Also read: Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo arrives prior to the official Al-Nassr unveiling event

Al-Nassr announced a contract with Ronaldo on Friday after the 37-year-old agreed to a lucrative two-year deal with the Saudi club that will reportedly make him the highest-paid player in history. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also became the most prominent player to play in Asian football in the process.

History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022
Despite being linked to his new team for the past two months, the Portuguese international is said to have waited for Real Madrid after leaving Manchester United quietly in November.

To stay in shape over the holiday season, Ronaldo had been working out with the Spanish powerhouses, but when they showed little to no interest in re-signing him, he decided to take Al- Nassr's offer.

Meanwhile, the two greatest players in football history, Ronaldo and Messi, are likely to square off in January as Paris Saint-Germain is reported to play a midseason friendly in Saudi Arabia. The Messi-led team will likely take on Al-Nassr, which will also feature players from the Al-Hilal club.

On January 5, Al-Nassr will face Saudi Pro League opponent Al-Ta'ee, it is unclear if Ronaldo will be available to make his debut.