The announcement had the effect of a bomb. Lionel Messi’s extension with Inter Miami until 2028 could well have never happened across the Atlantic. If he has still not made his decision regarding his participation or not in the next World Cup, the Argentine genius would still consider accelerating his preparation, far from the United States.
According to the revelations made by Abdallah Hammad, general director of the Mahd Academy for talent development in Saudi Arabia, to a podcast from the Saudi media
Thmanya, the former Barcelona player would have approached him to play for a few months in the Saudi Pro League.
“Messi’s team contacted me during the Club World Cup last summer. He wanted to play in Saudi Arabia during the four-month hiatus from the American Championship to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. explains the manager, whose comments were relayed by the newspaper
The Team.
Saudi Arabia refused Messi
Surprising information, while Lionel Messi could have joined the Gulf country instead of MLS in the summer of 2023, which questions the difference in level between the two championships. “ The same thing happened with (David)
Beckham when he played for the Los Angeles Galaxy and left to play for Milan,” added Abdallah Hammad, while the former glory of Manchester United is now president of Inter Miami.
Problem for the 2022 world champion, the government opposed his arrival. “I submitted the proposal to the minister, but he refused to allow Messi to come for only four months, and the file was closed. He said the Saudi Championship would not be a training camp. » No club is mentioned. No last confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo therefore, unless Portugal and Argentina come across each other during the next World Cup.
