Topline
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal has formally made an offer to soccer superstar Lionel Messi, Reuters reported Thursday, as the World Cup winner prepares to leave his French club Paris Saint-Germain next month with his plans for next season still up in the air.
Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain looks on during the trophy ceremony after the friendly match … [+]
Key Facts
The offer from the Riyadh-based club is the only one Messi has received, according to Reuters, citing an unnamed source close to him.
Exactly what Al-Hilal has offered to pay Messi remains unclear, but all signs point to an astronomical figure unprecedented in sports history.
The Telegraph and media in Messi’s native Argentina report the offer is around $400 million a year, according to Reuters, while soccer transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reported the offer might top $440 million per season.
What To Watch For
The contract figures would blow Cristiano Ronaldo’s reported $75 million per year contract with fellow Riyadh club Al-Nassr out of the water, and vault Messi to become by far the highest-paid athlete in the world. Ronaldo topped the 2023 Forbes highest-paid athlete list by earning $136 million through his contract and off-the-field business deals, while Messi came in second at $130 million in earnings, after Messi previously led the list with $130 million in 2022. Should Messi move to Saudi Arabia, he and Ronaldo would again star for rival clubs, as they did in Spain between 2009 and 2018, when Ronaldo lined up for Real Madrid and Messi played for FC Barcelona.
Key Background
Messi reached perhaps the pinnacle of his personal career in December when he led Argentina’s national team to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he was named the tournament’s top player. But PSG fans have accused him of putting in halfhearted performances since returning to the club after the World Cup, while PSG management reportedly told Messi he would have to take a pay cut to return. Messi had reportedly hoped to extend his career in Europe—which soccer observers universally agree has the highest level of competition—but he also has significant ties to Saudi Arabia, after he agreed last year to become a “Tourism Ambassador” for the country. Messi is currently serving a two-week unpaid suspension from PSG after he took a promotional trip to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission.
Tangent
Saudi Arabia—long an oil-wealthy country—has shaken up the sports world over the past few years through a series of major investments. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is notably backing LIV Golf as a competitor to the PGA Tour, while the fund also took control of Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021. Newcastle, long a lower-tier Premier League club, has rapidly transformed into an English soccer powerhouse. The club is on track to qualify for a spot in the coveted UEFA Champions League next season by finishing in the top four in the Premier League. Some critics of the Saudi regime have cast this gambit as a form of “sportswashing” meant to distract from the country’s human rights record.
Further Reading
World Cup Final: Messi Wins First World Cup Title As Argentina Beats France In Penalty Kicks (Forbes)
Lionel Messi Suspended 2 Weeks For Visiting Saudi Arabia Without Team’s Permission (Forbes)
PGA Takes On LIV Golf’s Saudi Backers: Everything You Need To Know About Golf’s Messiest Controversy (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/05/04/messi-reportedly-gets-massive-saudi-al-hilal-offer-which-could-make-him-worlds-top-paid-athlete/