Al-Nassr manager Rudi Garcia has joked he wanted to sign Lionel Messi first before the Saudi Arabian club brought free agent Cristiano Ronaldo to the club.

Ronaldo and Manchester United agreed to the mutual termination of his contract after he conducted a whiney interview with Piers Morgan, and while the Portugal international has continuously declared his desire to continue playing top flight European football, he has now moved to the Middle East where he will earn £173m.

Comparisons continue to be made with Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Messi, who led La Albiceleste to the World Cup trophy in Qatar while Ronaldo was dropped from Portugal's team before their elimination to Morocco.