Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia declined an offer to sign football legend Lionel Messi for a short-term stint in the Saudi Pro League, a senior official has revealed.

Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Sports Academy, said in a recent podcast with Thmanyah that Messi’s team approached him with a proposal for the Argentine star to play in Saudi Arabia while the Major League Soccer (MLS) season pauses for four months.

“During the last Club World Cup, Messi’s team contacted me and offered for him to play in Saudi Arabia because the MLS will stop for nearly four months,” Hammad explained.

“The player wanted to stay active and prepare himself for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.”

Hammad added that he relayed the offer to the Minister of Sports, who rejected it, saying the Saudi Pro League would not be used merely as a preparation platform for other competitions.

The discussion also explored the contrasting approaches between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

While Messi had specific conditions and remained deeply attached to Barcelona, Ronaldo embraced the challenge of a new culture, league, and continent when he joined Al Nassr in 2022.

Messi has long been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, but instead opted to sign for Inter Miami in the United States, where he recently extended his contract until 2028.