Saudi Arabia rejects Messi's short term loan ahead of 2026 World Cup, official reveals

A prominent sports executive has disclosed that Saudi Arabia turned away a proposal to recruit Lionel Messi on a temporary basis for the Saudi Pro League in the lead up to the next World Cup.

"During the recent Club World Cup, Messi's representatives reached out to me with a suggestion for him to feature in Saudi Arabia, given that the MLS pauses for almost four months," stated Abdullah Hammad, the chief executive of Mahd Sports Academy, on a podcast hosted by the Saudi outlet Thmanyah.

"The footballer aimed to stay fit and gear up for the 2026 World Cup."

"Something similar occurred with David Beckham during his time at Los Angeles Galaxy when he joined AC Milan in 2010," he continued.

Lionel Messi, recipient of the Ballon d'Or on eight occasions, transferred to Inter Miami in 2023 amid speculation about a possible transfer to Saudi Arabia. This move succeeded a two year period at Paris Saint-Germain, which he had signed with in 2021 following the conclusion of his extended partnership with Barcelona.

Hammad noted that he passed on the proposal to the sports minister, who turned it down. "The minister emphasised that the Saudi league should not function as a training ground for other competitions," he explained.

When asked directly if Saudi Arabia had turned down Messi, his response was: "That's correct."

Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr after the previous World Cup, the Saudi Pro League has pulled in a host of renowned players from leading European sides, such as Neymar and Karim Benzema, as the country prepares to host the 2034 World Cup.