Are you getting the idea that Saudi Arabia is planning on being a world player in sports? With unlimited funds, and I mean that literally, not figuratively, they are making it rain on leagues and A-list athletes in an attempt to buy their way into relevancy. We’ll soon find out if it works.
Things started when the Saudis created the LIV golf league, gobbling up some of the best and most famous golfers on the planet. Then they signed Cristiano Ronaldo to a contract that could pay him over half a billion dollars. Next, it was the WWE, and reports were all over the place that said a sale of the WWE to the Saudis was imminent.
And now, they are looking to lock in maybe the greatest soccer player of all time, as the Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is set to offer him a deal in the $250 million plus range per year. Wow. Let that sink in for a bit.
Last month he led Argentina to the World Cup title, and he has returned to Paris to finish the six months left on his contract with Paris Saint-Germain. Then he is a free agent this summer, and Messi will cash in. And if he signs with Al Hilal, he will be a teammate of Renaldo’s. I wonder who will get the best locker in the locker room? It could be an epic battle for that.
Messi has a history with Saudi Arabia, becoming an ambassador for their “Visit Saudi” tourism campaign last year.
Next week Messi will travel to Saudi Arabia with his PSG teammates to play in an all-star game.
Saudi Arabia is hoping to win a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece, as the Middle East has officially thrust itself into being a big player on the world stage in soccer.
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