Culture
Report: Messi not signing with Saudis, but kingdom wants him
The Argentine soccer star recently visited Saudi Arabia to play in an exhibition against Cristiano Ronaldo’s new Saudi club, Al Nassr. Messi also met an influential Muslim cleric during the trip.
Lionel Messi has no plans at present to join the Saudi Pro League, the Spanish news outlet Marca reported Friday.
Marca interviewed Ibrahim Alkassim, who heads the Saudi Football Federation. He said they do not have any information indicating the Argentine soccer star is coming to the kingdom. However, Alkassim said that his organization would love for Messi to play in the country.
“I do not hide that, as Saudi Federation, we would like to have him one day in the domestic league,” he told Marca.
Why it matters: Messi has been linked to the Saudi soccer teams Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, both who are reportedly willing to offer him hundreds of millions of dollars.
