After the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo by the Saudi football club Al-Nassr, speculation increased that world champion Lionel Messi would move to the desert state.
The usually well-informed Spanish trade newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported on Thursday that Al-Nassr’s city rival Al-Hilal wanted to offer the 35-year-old Argentinian superstar from Paris Saint-Germain an annual salary of $350 million. That would be the equivalent of more than 320 million euros.
Messi’s contract in Paris expires on June 30. He could then move on a free transfer. According to media reports, Inter Miami and Messi’s regular club FC Barcelona are also interested in the six-time world footballer. However, according to reports, PSG would also like to extend the contract with Messi. On Wednesday he scored in the 2-0 win against Angers his first goal as world champion in the first game after his special leave.
Before “Mundo Deportivo”, other media had reported on the sensational million-dollar offer considered by Al-Hilal. Much of the money would come from the state. The Spanish newspaper explained the goals behind it: It’s not just about Al-Hilal, it said. Oil-rich and financially strong Saudi Arabia wants to host the 2030 World Cup together with Egypt and Greece and needs professionals like Ronaldo and Messi as figureheads of the local Pro League to win the bid. However, according to Mundo Deportivo’s report, Messi has not yet received an offer.
Messi is already the country’s tourism ambassador
It remains to be seen whether Messi is really interested in following arch-rival Ronaldo into the desert. That doesn’t seem entirely impossible, however, because Messi is already Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambassador. An indication that the Argentine can also become weak if enough money flows.
In May 2022, Messi traveled to Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea. “This is not his first visit to the kingdom, nor will it be his last,” commented Ahmed al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, as he greeted Messi at King Abdulaziz International Airport. PSG are already playing a friendly in Riyadh next week – against Al-Nassr, of all places, Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club.
CR7 recently signed with Al-Nassr for two and a half years. According to media reports, the 37-year-old should get the equivalent of around 200 million euros per season including revenue. And he should also stir the drum for Saudi Arabia’s World Cup candidacy, it said. At home, the striker has therefore already been insulted by the media as a “traitor”. Portugal also wants to compete with Spain and Ukraine to host the 2030 World Cup.
dpa/bed