Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sports, Abdelaziz Al-Faisal, has reportedly added fuel to the speculation surrounding Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema’s potential moves to the Gulf country, effectively ending their careers in European football.
Benzema is said to have received a staggering €400 million offer from an undisclosed Saudi Arabian club, as the nation aims to bolster its bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Similarly, reports have surfaced claiming that Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, has also been presented with a lucrative contract.
While both players are set to become free agents this summer, Karim Benzema has been linked to Al-Ittihad, while Lionel Messi has been connected to Al-Hilal for some time now. Although Messi’s contract with Barcelona is set to expire on June 30, he has been linked with a potential return to the Spanish club, but with a reported 10-day deadline for the resolution of matters with La Liga.
Amidst these speculations, Saudi Arabia’s sports minister has ignited excitement among football fans with his recent comments. Abdelaziz Al-Faisal, as quoted by The Madrid Zone, stated, Benzema and Messi to Saudi Arabia?” Wait for the official announcements from the clubs. The clubs will announce in due time.”
According to reports from Marca, Messi has been offered an astronomical €600 million per season deal by Al-Hilal to join their team this summer. It was claimed that Messi had already given his approval to the move, but his father, Jorge Messi, refuted these claims in a statement released in May, saying, “There’s absolutely nothing agreed with any club for next season. We will decide at the end of the season. Nothing is signed, agreed, or verbally agreed. Only fake news using Leo’s name.”
Fahad Bin Saad Bin Nafel, the president of Al Hilal, also declined to comment on the possibility of Messi’s arrival, stating, “Do not ask me about Messi. I will not give any news. If something official comes out, you will find it in the press department,” according to GOAL.
The football world eagerly awaits the official announcements from the clubs involved to confirm whether Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema will indeed make the move to Saudi Arabia and bid farewell to European football.
