 "Cristiano Ronaldo with Lionel Messi when they played in La Liga for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Image: Reuters")
Lionel Messi could be heading to Saudi Arabia, with fresh reports claiming the Argentine superstar is in talks with Saudi Pro League (SPL) side Al-Ahli. The 38-year-old is still under contract with Inter Miami until the end of 2025, but his potential future move is once again making headlines.
Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has been sensational. He has scored 52 goals and provided 25 assists in just 64 appearances for the Major League Soccer (MLS) side. According to French outlet L’Equipe, Al-Ahli have been trying to convince Messi to join the Saudi Pro League for weeks.
This isn’t the first time Messi has been linked to the SPL. In 2023, he reportedly turned down a massive offer from Al-Hilal, who then signed Brazilian star Neymar Jr instead. However, Al-Ahli are hoping to succeed this time in convincing Messi to make the biggest move of his career.
Messi to reunite with Ronaldo?
The financial details of the new offer are still unknown, but the club’s interest is genuine. If Messi moves to the SPL, he would be joining a team full of big names like Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, and Ivan Toney. It would also reignite his long-standing rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo .
Ronaldo, who had joined the Saudi Pro League in December 2022, recently extended his contract with Al-Nassr until 2027. If Messi comes to the SPL, it will create a lot of buzz around the league with fans getting the opportunity to see him go head-to-head with Ronaldo once again.
Messi was last seen in action at the FIFA Club World Cup with Inter Miami. His team was knocked out in the last-16 round after a 4-0 loss to his former club and current UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Messi is the highest-paid player in MLS for the third consecutive year. The Major League Soccer Players Association said that Messi’s annual compensation at Inter Miami is around $20 million, which is greater than the entire payroll of 21 MLS teams.