Argentina national team captain and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi wanted to play in Saudi Arabia, but his plan failed. This was announced by Abdulla Hammad, General Manager of the Mahd Talent Development Academy in Saudi Arabia, in a podcast given to Thmanya.
It has been reported that the 38-year-old world champion wanted to temporarily travel to one of the Saudi Arabian clubs to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Messi planned to implement this plan during the four-month break between seasons in the American MLS league.
"Messi's team contacted me last summer. They wanted him to play in Saudi Arabia for four months. The main goal of this decision was to keep it ideal for the 2026 World Cup," Hammad said.
According to him, this idea is not new - David Beckham had done the same in the past. "Beckham also played for the Los Angeles Galaxy before moving to AC Milan on a four-month contract. We discussed the same option for Messi. But when I conveyed this proposal to the minister, he refused," Hammad said.
Officials believe that the Saudi Arabian championship should not become an experimental or temporary training ground. According to Hammad, the minister defended the prestige of the national championship and its long-term development strategy through this decision.
"The minister openly stated: the Saudi Arabian championship cannot be just for marketing or a training ground. This competition is being built to attract talented players from all over the world and become a high-level league. Therefore, Messi's proposal to come only for four months was not accepted," Hammad said.
For information, Lionel Messi recently extended his contract with Inter Miami until 2028. He continues his career in the American League (MLS) and is currently one of the club's most important figures.
Saudi Arabia has been rapidly developing football in recent years - stars like Ronaldo, Benzema, and Kante have joined local clubs. However, the country's officials have repeatedly emphasized their intention to maintain the championship's goal as sport development.
Thus, Messi's dream of playing for Saudi Arabia for a short time did not come true. But this situation once again showed that the Saudi league is strengthening its position in the football world, and its image is now being formed not as a temporary stage, but as a long-term sports platform.
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