Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce knows that all eyes are on him after once again helping lead his team to a Super Bowl, the Chiefs’ fourth appearance in the big game in the last five years.

Add the extra eyeballs because of his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift, and Kelce and his brother Jason decided to have a little fun when breaking down the weekend’s conference championship games during the latest episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast.

‘Shoutout to the newest member of Chiefs Kingdom, Taylor Swift, who has officially reached the Super Bowl in her rookie year,’ Jason Kelce said.

‘Yeah shoutout to Tay, thanks for joining the team,’ Travis Kelce added.

The Chiefs All-Pro also called out Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who warmed up before the game in the same area as Patrick Mahomes, prompting Kelce to move Tucker’s helmet out of the way.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘If you want to be a (expletive)-ing (expletive) about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your (expletive)-ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up,’ Travis Kelce said. ‘If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.’

Kelce then said he was sorry for ‘(taking) it to a level that you didn’t think it could get to,’ but added that ‘if you’re going to be an (expletive), I promise you I can one-up you every time.’

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce knows that all eyes are on him after once again helping lead his team to a Super Bowl, the Chiefs’ fourth appearance in the big game in the last five years.

Add the extra eyeballs because of his relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift, and Kelce and his brother Jason decided to have a little fun when breaking down the weekend’s conference championship games during the latest episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast.

‘Shoutout to the newest member of Chiefs Kingdom, Taylor Swift, who has officially reached the Super Bowl in her rookie year,’ Jason Kelce said.

‘Yeah shoutout to Tay, thanks for joining the team,’ Travis Kelce added.

The Chiefs All-Pro also called out Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who warmed up before the game in the same area as Patrick Mahomes, prompting Kelce to move Tucker’s helmet out of the way.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘If you want to be a (expletive)-ing (expletive) about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your (expletive)-ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up,’ Travis Kelce said. ‘If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.’

Kelce then said he was sorry for ‘(taking) it to a level that you didn’t think it could get to,’ but added that ‘if you’re going to be an (expletive), I promise you I can one-up you every time.’

The No. 1 recruit to go along with one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Bronny James. Second in the Pac-12 preseason poll. Ranked in the preseason USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

After three consecutive tournament appearances – which included an Elite Eight run in 2021 – Southern California was poised to compete for a Pac-12 championship along with Arizona.

Instead, they’ll be fighting just to finish over .500.

It’s been a season full of let downs for the Trojans, who are currently riding a five-game losing streak and sit at the bottom of the Pac-12 with a 8-12 record. To make matters worse, they are coming off a 15-point home loss to rival UCLA, which is also in the midst of its own struggles. Projected NBA draft lottery pick Isaiah Collier is out through the middle of February with a hand injury, and James has shown the freshman struggles in his first college season. 

You could pick and choose which side of the ball has hurt the Trojans the most this season. The defense gives up 74.7 points per game, which ranks 251st in the country. The scoring offense has been decent for a majority of the season, but it’s currently in a funk, averaging 69.4 points per game in conference play, second-worst behind UCLA. 

The struggles in Los Angeles highlight what seems to be a down season for several West Coast schools. The Pac-12, which is coming off a successful football season in its final year of existence as we know it, only has three teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s tournament Bracketology. Only one – Arizona – is projected to avoid playing in the First Four.

With one full month of the men’s college basketball season left, Southern California can all but kiss its tournament hopes away. But they aren’t the only team in realistic danger of missing out on the tournament. Here are other teams that have failed to meet expectations so far:

UCLA

Across the last 12 tournaments, Mick Cronin has coached in every one of them. But his streak is likely to end this time around. 

It wasn’t going to be easy for the Bruins to replace 82% of their scoring from last season, so Cronin went abroad and brought in several international players to revamp his group. It’s been a work-in-progress, with UCLA sitting at 9-11 and in danger of missing the tournament for the first time since 2019.

The Bruins have always been a defensive team with Cronin at the helm, and this year is no exception. The Bruins have allowed 63.8 points per game, good enough to rank 18th in the country, but the offense hasn’t been able to stay consistent enough for them to win games. The 65.2 points per game is 17th-worst among the 351 teams ranked in Division I and the 30.7% 3-point percentage is 301st in the country.

UCLA looks to be heading in the right direction, winning three of its last four games, but with an 0-6 record against Quad 1 teams, the résumé isn’t strong enough even with a possible late-season run. It’ll be conference tournament or bust to make the NCAA field.

Gonzaga

A 16-5 record for most teams would be a great place to be at this point in the season, and by no means is Gonzaga having a bad year, but it’s not meeting the expectations in Spokane.

Simply put, the West Coast Conference is catching up to the Bulldogs. The Zags got a rude start to conference play with a one-point loss to Santa Clara, putting them in a tie for second place while Saint Mary’s sits in first place. The two meetings against the Gaels every season are typically the biggest games of the WCC, but there’s an extra need for Gonzaga to win those games. 

They don’t have any Quad 1 wins, so clinching the conference would be the best guarantee of a tournament spot. But losing to Saint Mary’s – and dropping any other games – could result in Gonzaga missing the tournament for the first time this century.

Michigan State

Michigan State started the season No. 4 in the preseason poll with expectations of competing for a Big Ten title and Final Four berth. It instead began with a loss to James Madison and it’s been inconsistency since then for Tom Izzo’s squad. 

The Spartans have relied on defense, holding opponents to 39.9% shooting. Its best win was a blowout against Baylor that sparked a five-game win streak, but it fell to Wisconsin twice and still has Illinois and Purdue on the schedule. As it stands, Michigan State is likely making the tournament, but it can’t afford any missteps against the bottom half of the conference as those preseason aspirations continue to fade away.

Villanova

Ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll, Villanova was hoping to make strides in Kyle Neptune’s second season at the helm, but confusing losses have the 11-10 Wildcats needing a strong finish to be an at-large pick.

The wins over North Carolina and Creighton are good résumé boosts, but the three Quad 3 losses might be too much to overlook by Selection Sunday. On top of that, Villanova has lost four-straight games and are eighth in the Big East. Eric Dixon has done it all for the squad, but he’s going to need more help offensively if the Wildcats don’t want to miss the tournament again.

Arkansas

The Razorbacks have enjoyed major tournament success under Eric Musselman − with two Elite Eights and defeats of high seeds Gonzaga and Kansas in the last three seasons − but they are far away from appearing on the bubble.

Arkansas can’t seem to stop anybody defensively, giving 76.8 points per game, which is 297th in the country and tied for worst in the SEC with Florida. It also doesn’t help that they lost to the Gators by 22 points a few weeks ago.

The SEC is once again deep this season, possibly sending nine teams into March Madness. But the Razorbacks have lost six of their past seven games, and just recently had senior starter Davonte Davis leave the team, just another example of how bleak things are looking in Fayetteville.

The ACC

In the past 10 tournaments, the ACC has seen at least four teams selected, including nine in 2017 and 2018. This season, it might be lucky to get three. 

As is typical, North Carolina and Duke reign supreme in the conference and should be shoe-ins, but after that, it’s not as clear. Virginia is starting to get hot, but it needs more Quad 1 wins. Miami, which is coming off a Final Four appearance, hasn’t looked consistent in conference play and dropped a bad game to Louisville. Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Syracuse and Clemson all need to separate themselves from the middle of the pack.

The ACC is also home to some of the worst power conference teams in Notre Dame and Louisville. It’s long been known as a basketball conference, and there’s a good chance the Blue Devils and Tar Heels get the ACC its seventh Final Four team in the past eight seasons, but it’s overall a down year in the Atlantic. 

The No. 1 recruit to go along with one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Bronny James. Second in the Pac-12 preseason poll. Ranked in the preseason USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

After three consecutive tournament appearances – which included an Elite Eight run in 2021 – Southern California was poised to compete for a Pac-12 championship along with Arizona.

Instead, they’ll be fighting just to finish over .500.

It’s been a season full of let downs for the Trojans, who are currently riding a five-game losing streak and sit at the bottom of the Pac-12 with a 8-12 record. To make matters worse, they are coming off a 15-point home loss to rival UCLA, which is also in the midst of its own struggles. Projected NBA draft lottery pick Isaiah Collier is out through the middle of February with a hand injury, and James has shown the freshman struggles in his first college season. 

You could pick and choose which side of the ball has hurt the Trojans the most this season. The defense gives up 74.7 points per game, which ranks 251st in the country. The scoring offense has been decent for a majority of the season, but it’s currently in a funk, averaging 69.4 points per game in conference play, second-worst behind UCLA. 

The struggles in Los Angeles highlight what seems to be a down season for several West Coast schools. The Pac-12, which is coming off a successful football season in its final year of existence as we know it, only has three teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports men’s tournament Bracketology. Only one – Arizona – is projected to avoid playing in the First Four.

With one full month of the men’s college basketball season left, Southern California can all but kiss its tournament hopes away. But they aren’t the only team in realistic danger of missing out on the tournament. Here are other teams that have failed to meet expectations so far:

UCLA

Across the last 12 tournaments, Mick Cronin has coached in every one of them. But his streak is likely to end this time around. 

It wasn’t going to be easy for the Bruins to replace 82% of their scoring from last season, so Cronin went abroad and brought in several international players to revamp his group. It’s been a work-in-progress, with UCLA sitting at 9-11 and in danger of missing the tournament for the first time since 2019.

The Bruins have always been a defensive team with Cronin at the helm, and this year is no exception. The Bruins have allowed 63.8 points per game, good enough to rank 18th in the country, but the offense hasn’t been able to stay consistent enough for them to win games. The 65.2 points per game is 17th-worst among the 351 teams ranked in Division I and the 30.7% 3-point percentage is 301st in the country.

UCLA looks to be heading in the right direction, winning three of its last four games, but with an 0-6 record against Quad 1 teams, the résumé isn’t strong enough even with a possible late-season run. It’ll be conference tournament or bust to make the NCAA field.

Gonzaga

A 16-5 record for most teams would be a great place to be at this point in the season, and by no means is Gonzaga having a bad year, but it’s not meeting the expectations in Spokane.

Simply put, the West Coast Conference is catching up to the Bulldogs. The Zags got a rude start to conference play with a one-point loss to Santa Clara, putting them in a tie for second place while Saint Mary’s sits in first place. The two meetings against the Gaels every season are typically the biggest games of the WCC, but there’s an extra need for Gonzaga to win those games. 

They don’t have any Quad 1 wins, so clinching the conference would be the best guarantee of a tournament spot. But losing to Saint Mary’s – and dropping any other games – could result in Gonzaga missing the tournament for the first time this century.

Michigan State

Michigan State started the season No. 4 in the preseason poll with expectations of competing for a Big Ten title and Final Four berth. It instead began with a loss to James Madison and it’s been inconsistency since then for Tom Izzo’s squad. 

The Spartans have relied on defense, holding opponents to 39.9% shooting. Its best win was a blowout against Baylor that sparked a five-game win streak, but it fell to Wisconsin twice and still has Illinois and Purdue on the schedule. As it stands, Michigan State is likely making the tournament, but it can’t afford any missteps against the bottom half of the conference as those preseason aspirations continue to fade away.

Villanova

Ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll, Villanova was hoping to make strides in Kyle Neptune’s second season at the helm, but confusing losses have the 11-10 Wildcats needing a strong finish to be an at-large pick.

The wins over North Carolina and Creighton are good résumé boosts, but the three Quad 3 losses might be too much to overlook by Selection Sunday. On top of that, Villanova has lost four-straight games and are eighth in the Big East. Eric Dixon has done it all for the squad, but he’s going to need more help offensively if the Wildcats don’t want to miss the tournament again.

Arkansas

The Razorbacks have enjoyed major tournament success under Eric Musselman − with two Elite Eights and defeats of high seeds Gonzaga and Kansas in the last three seasons − but they are far away from appearing on the bubble.

Arkansas can’t seem to stop anybody defensively, giving 76.8 points per game, which is 297th in the country and tied for worst in the SEC with Florida. It also doesn’t help that they lost to the Gators by 22 points a few weeks ago.

The SEC is once again deep this season, possibly sending nine teams into March Madness. But the Razorbacks have lost six of their past seven games, and just recently had senior starter Davonte Davis leave the team, just another example of how bleak things are looking in Fayetteville.

The ACC

In the past 10 tournaments, the ACC has seen at least four teams selected, including nine in 2017 and 2018. This season, it might be lucky to get three. 

As is typical, North Carolina and Duke reign supreme in the conference and should be shoe-ins, but after that, it’s not as clear. Virginia is starting to get hot, but it needs more Quad 1 wins. Miami, which is coming off a Final Four appearance, hasn’t looked consistent in conference play and dropped a bad game to Louisville. Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Syracuse and Clemson all need to separate themselves from the middle of the pack.

The ACC is also home to some of the worst power conference teams in Notre Dame and Louisville. It’s long been known as a basketball conference, and there’s a good chance the Blue Devils and Tar Heels get the ACC its seventh Final Four team in the past eight seasons, but it’s overall a down year in the Atlantic. 

David Rubenstein turned a private equity fortune into a reputation as one of Washington’s powerhouse philanthropists. Now, his next charity act will be the Baltimore Orioles’ long-diminished payroll.

Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, has agreed to purchase the Orioles from the Angelos family for $1.725 billion, the team announced Wednesday.

Rubenstein will be joined in his ownership bid by a fellow private equity mogul, Ares Management co-founder Mike Arougheti. Other members of the incoming ownership group include Mitchell Goldstein and Michael Smith of the Ares Credit Group; Michele Kang; former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke; former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg; and two Hall of Fame athletes with ties to the area: Grant Hill and, most excitingly for Orioles fans, team legend Cal Ripken Jr.

Yet it is Rubenstein, 74, with a net worth estimated at $3.7 billion, who will provide the biggest financial muscle behind the proposed purchase.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

‘I am grateful to the Angelos family for the opportunity to join the team I have been a fan of my entire life,’ Rubenstein said in a statement. ‘I look forward to working with all the Orioles owners, players and staff to build upon the incredible success the team has achieved in recent seasons.

‘Our collective goal will be to bring a World Series Trophy back to the City of Baltimore. To the fans I say: we do it for you and can’t do it without you. Thank you for your support.’

If approved by Major League Baseball and its 29 other owners, Rubenstein, a Baltimore native, will land a sports franchise after exploring bids for the Washington Commanders — sold to a group led by Josh Harris — and Nationals, who remain for sale with no viable offer still in sight.

It would end a 31-year ownership by the Angelos family, which led by patriarch Peter Angelos purchased the Orioles for $173 million in 1993. With Angelos, 94, in failing health, son John Angelos has taken over as the club’s control person to MLB, after a protracted family battle that pitted John and his mother Georgia against John’s brother, Louis.

Puck reported that Rubenstein plans to purchase a 40% stake in the club until the elder Angelos’ death, after which the new owners will purchase the remainder. MLB owners are scheduled for a quarterly meeting in Orlando, Florida, next week; any approval of the sale likely would not come until the following quarter, after significant due diligence by the league.

If approved, Rubenstein will become the Orioles’ control person and John Angelos will serve as a ‘senior advisor.’ The team’s press release said the Angelos family ‘will continue to hold a sizable investment in the Orioles.’

The Orioles never advanced to a World Series under the Angelos reign, but after three 100-loss seasons in four years from 2018-2021, they won 101 games this past season and captured their second American League East title since 1997.

Are the Orioles leaving Baltimore?

John Angelos complained in a New York Times interview in August that he would have to vastly increase prices to afford retaining the Orioles’ gaggle of young stars, and also put off extending the club’s lease at Camden Yards in hopes of developing a multi-use development near the stadium that ushered in a ballpark renaissance in the ’90s.

With an end-of-year deadline looming, the team and state finalized a 30-year lease on Dec. 18, but plans to develop areas around Camden Yards were at least temporarily tabled; the club has an out clause after 15 years if the team does not receive state approval to develop areas around the stadium.

Now, it appears there will be a new beginning for franchise and ownership.

Rubenstein stepped down as chairman of the Kennedy Center on Monday, agreeing to stay on until a successor is found to follow his 27-year reign, during which he donated $111 million to the national cultural arts center.

‘I am 74 years old,’ Rubenstein said Monday, per the Washington Post, ‘an age which is too young to be president of the United States, but generally considered to be old enough for other things.”

Such as building upon the Orioles’ success. With Rookie of the Year infielder Gunnar Henderson, All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and the consensus best farm system in the game, Baltimore’s on-field future is extremely bright.

And there’s a clean sheet to work with: Baltimore’s 2023 payroll was $60.7 million, with only the relocating Oakland A’s expending less money. With several players receiving raises through arbitration, that figure will balloon north of $80 million in 2024, though it will still easily rank in MLB’s bottom third.

In a few months, the club’s pockets could be that much deeper.

David Rubenstein turned a private equity fortune into a reputation as one of Washington’s powerhouse philanthropists. Now, his next charity act will be the Baltimore Orioles’ long-diminished payroll.

Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, has agreed to purchase the Orioles from the Angelos family for $1.725 billion, the team announced Wednesday.

Rubenstein will be joined in his ownership bid by a fellow private equity mogul, Ares Management co-founder Mike Arougheti. Other members of the incoming ownership group include Mitchell Goldstein and Michael Smith of the Ares Credit Group; Michele Kang; former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke; former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg; and two Hall of Fame athletes with ties to the area: Grant Hill and, most excitingly for Orioles fans, team legend Cal Ripken Jr.

Yet it is Rubenstein, 74, with a net worth estimated at $3.7 billion, who will provide the biggest financial muscle behind the proposed purchase.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

‘I am grateful to the Angelos family for the opportunity to join the team I have been a fan of my entire life,’ Rubenstein said in a statement. ‘I look forward to working with all the Orioles owners, players and staff to build upon the incredible success the team has achieved in recent seasons.

‘Our collective goal will be to bring a World Series Trophy back to the City of Baltimore. To the fans I say: we do it for you and can’t do it without you. Thank you for your support.’

If approved by Major League Baseball and its 29 other owners, Rubenstein, a Baltimore native, will land a sports franchise after exploring bids for the Washington Commanders — sold to a group led by Josh Harris — and Nationals, who remain for sale with no viable offer still in sight.

It would end a 31-year ownership by the Angelos family, which led by patriarch Peter Angelos purchased the Orioles for $173 million in 1993. With Angelos, 94, in failing health, son John Angelos has taken over as the club’s control person to MLB, after a protracted family battle that pitted John and his mother Georgia against John’s brother, Louis.

Puck reported that Rubenstein plans to purchase a 40% stake in the club until the elder Angelos’ death, after which the new owners will purchase the remainder. MLB owners are scheduled for a quarterly meeting in Orlando, Florida, next week; any approval of the sale likely would not come until the following quarter, after significant due diligence by the league.

If approved, Rubenstein will become the Orioles’ control person and John Angelos will serve as a ‘senior advisor.’ The team’s press release said the Angelos family ‘will continue to hold a sizable investment in the Orioles.’

The Orioles never advanced to a World Series under the Angelos reign, but after three 100-loss seasons in four years from 2018-2021, they won 101 games this past season and captured their second American League East title since 1997.

Are the Orioles leaving Baltimore?

John Angelos complained in a New York Times interview in August that he would have to vastly increase prices to afford retaining the Orioles’ gaggle of young stars, and also put off extending the club’s lease at Camden Yards in hopes of developing a multi-use development near the stadium that ushered in a ballpark renaissance in the ’90s.

With an end-of-year deadline looming, the team and state finalized a 30-year lease on Dec. 18, but plans to develop areas around Camden Yards were at least temporarily tabled; the club has an out clause after 15 years if the team does not receive state approval to develop areas around the stadium.

Now, it appears there will be a new beginning for franchise and ownership.

Rubenstein stepped down as chairman of the Kennedy Center on Monday, agreeing to stay on until a successor is found to follow his 27-year reign, during which he donated $111 million to the national cultural arts center.

‘I am 74 years old,’ Rubenstein said Monday, per the Washington Post, ‘an age which is too young to be president of the United States, but generally considered to be old enough for other things.”

Such as building upon the Orioles’ success. With Rookie of the Year infielder Gunnar Henderson, All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and the consensus best farm system in the game, Baltimore’s on-field future is extremely bright.

And there’s a clean sheet to work with: Baltimore’s 2023 payroll was $60.7 million, with only the relocating Oakland A’s expending less money. With several players receiving raises through arbitration, that figure will balloon north of $80 million in 2024, though it will still easily rank in MLB’s bottom third.

In a few months, the club’s pockets could be that much deeper.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have played against each other 37 times in their illustrious soccer careers.

But they won’t have one ‘Last Dance’ as soccer fans worldwide hoped to see this week.

Ronaldo’s calf injury will keep him out of Thursday’s match between Messi’s Inter Miami and Al Nassr in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr coach Luis Castro told reporters on Wednesday.

Thursday’s match between Inter Miami and Al Nassr begins at 1 p.m. ET and will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The disappointing news leaves the question: Will soccer fans worldwide get to see Ronaldo and Messi play against each other again?

Here’s the latest on Ronaldo’s calf injury

Ronaldo ‘is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days he can start working with the team. He will be absent from the game,’ Castro said.

Could Ronaldo, Messi meet again in 2025?

While Ronaldo and Al Nassr intend to reschedule their China trip, there’s no immediate plans to reschedule a potential match between Ronaldo and Messi.

Thursday’s match was touted as ‘The Last Dance’ and could have been the final time Ronaldo and Messi grace the pitch against each other.

If they were to meet again, a likely scenario could be at the Riyadh Season Cup in 2025.

Messi has played in the last two Riyadh Season Cups, where he faced Ronaldo last year, and has a major fan base in Saudi Arabia. Messi recently starred in a commercial for Saudi tourism.

Messi and Inter Miami could be open to another trip to Saudi Arabia for their 2025 preseason, and a matchup against Ronaldo and Al Nassr would earn the same hype and excitement as this year’s matchup before Ronaldo’s injury.

Messi is under contract with Inter Miami through 2025, while Ronaldo is under contract with Al Nassr through June 2025. But will their health hold up?

When was the last time Messi and Ronaldo played against each other?

It may have been an exhibition, and not the competitive matches Spanish football fans around the world have enjoyed during their careers. But Messi and Ronaldo left fans even more enamored after the last matchup.

Ronaldo scored two goals among a team of Saudi All-Stars, but lost 5-4 to Messi, who scored one for his old team Paris Saint-Germain, during the Riyadh Season Cup last January.

Messi scored three minutes into the match, his first since leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ronaldo answered in the 34th minute, and scored a penalty kick in extra time during the first half. They played 60 minutes during the match.

Who is the GOAT? Messi and Ronaldo head-to-head history

Although Ronaldo and Messi won’t meet again this year, let’s recap their head-to-head history after meeting last year.

Messi leads the head-to-head battle against Ronaldo in goals (22-21) and record (16 wins, 9 draws, 11 losses) across La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa and International Friendlies from 2008-20.

But if you include last year’s exhibition, Messi and Ronaldo are tied with 23 goals each.

Still, soccer fans have their preference as to who’s the greatest of all time.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have played against each other 37 times in their illustrious soccer careers.

But they won’t have one ‘Last Dance’ as soccer fans worldwide hoped to see this week.

Ronaldo’s calf injury will keep him out of Thursday’s match between Messi’s Inter Miami and Al Nassr in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr coach Luis Castro told reporters on Wednesday.

Thursday’s match between Inter Miami and Al Nassr begins at 1 p.m. ET and will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

The disappointing news leaves the question: Will soccer fans worldwide get to see Ronaldo and Messi play against each other again?

Here’s the latest on Ronaldo’s calf injury

Ronaldo ‘is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days he can start working with the team. He will be absent from the game,’ Castro said.

Could Ronaldo, Messi meet again in 2025?

While Ronaldo and Al Nassr intend to reschedule their China trip, there’s no immediate plans to reschedule a potential match between Ronaldo and Messi.

Thursday’s match was touted as ‘The Last Dance’ and could have been the final time Ronaldo and Messi grace the pitch against each other.

If they were to meet again, a likely scenario could be at the Riyadh Season Cup in 2025.

Messi has played in the last two Riyadh Season Cups, where he faced Ronaldo last year, and has a major fan base in Saudi Arabia. Messi recently starred in a commercial for Saudi tourism.

Messi and Inter Miami could be open to another trip to Saudi Arabia for their 2025 preseason, and a matchup against Ronaldo and Al Nassr would earn the same hype and excitement as this year’s matchup before Ronaldo’s injury.

Messi is under contract with Inter Miami through 2025, while Ronaldo is under contract with Al Nassr through June 2025. But will their health hold up?

When was the last time Messi and Ronaldo played against each other?

It may have been an exhibition, and not the competitive matches Spanish football fans around the world have enjoyed during their careers. But Messi and Ronaldo left fans even more enamored after the last matchup.

Ronaldo scored two goals among a team of Saudi All-Stars, but lost 5-4 to Messi, who scored one for his old team Paris Saint-Germain, during the Riyadh Season Cup last January.

Messi scored three minutes into the match, his first since leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ronaldo answered in the 34th minute, and scored a penalty kick in extra time during the first half. They played 60 minutes during the match.

Who is the GOAT? Messi and Ronaldo head-to-head history

Although Ronaldo and Messi won’t meet again this year, let’s recap their head-to-head history after meeting last year.

Messi leads the head-to-head battle against Ronaldo in goals (22-21) and record (16 wins, 9 draws, 11 losses) across La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa and International Friendlies from 2008-20.

But if you include last year’s exhibition, Messi and Ronaldo are tied with 23 goals each.

Still, soccer fans have their preference as to who’s the greatest of all time.