Saudi Arabia has rejected an offer from Lionel Messi to play a short-term stint in the Saudi Pro League before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Sports Academy, Messi’s representatives reached out during the Club World Cup to explore a temporary deal while Major League Soccer (MLS) takes its off-season break. “During the last Club World Cup, Messi’s team contacted me and offered for him to play in Saudi Arabia because the MLS will stop for nearly four months,” Hammad said in a podcast with Thmanyah. “He wanted to stay in shape and prepare himself for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.” The request mirrored David Beckham’s 2010 loan spell at AC Milan while playing for LA Galaxy. Messi, now with Inter Miami, joined the MLS club in 2023 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain and turning down earlier offers from Saudi teams. However, Hammad said that once the proposal was forwarded, the Saudi Minister of Sports refused, stating the Pro League should not serve as a “preparation platform” for other tournaments. “The minister made it clear that the Saudi league would not serve as a preparation platform for other tournaments,” Hammad said. When asked directly … Continue reading Saudi Arabia Said No to Lionel Messi’s Pro League Offer