Messi wanted to join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, but was rejected | OneFootball

The officials responsible for football in Saudi Arabia blocked the signing of Lionel Messi by a Saudi Pro League club. The star was reportedly interested in joining the Middle Eastern country, but the possibility was denied due to the amount of time he wanted to spend in the same league as Cristiano Ronaldo – who made a sensational announcement recently.

Before renewing with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi is said to have tried to move to Saudi Arabia. The Argentine star reportedly inquired with football officials in the Middle Eastern country about the possibility of joining the Saudi Pro League for four months – coinciding with the MLS break, which happens shortly before the start of the 2026 World Cup, where the captain of the Albiceleste national team hopes to be in top physical condition.

In a podcast by the Saudi newspaper 'Thmanya', all the details about Lionel Messi’s request were explained, as well as the response from Saudi football officials.

"Messi’s agents contacted me during the Club World Cup last summer. He wanted to play in Saudi Arabia during the four-month MLS break to prepare for the 2026 World Cup," Abdallah Hammad began to explain.

The Saudi official continued, later explaining the negative response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s rival: "I presented the proposal to the Minister of Sports, but he refused to allow Messi to come for just four months, and the case was closed. He said the Saudi League would not be a training ground."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.