World Cup-winning football megastar Lionel Messi is in Saudi Arabia.
The Argentinian shared an image of the “unexpected wonders” of the Kingdom with his more than 450m Instagram followers on Sunday, before jetting in to see the country for himself.
The PSG star has had previous experience with Saudi Arabia as a tourism ambassador, having travelled to the country for promotional activities on several occasions.
Messi in Saudi Arabia
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A post on the World Cup winner’s official Instagram account said: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? I love to explore its unexpected wonders whenever I can.”
On Monday Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb welcomed the iconic player to the Kingdom.
In a message on social media he said: “I am happy to welcome Saudi Tourism Ambassador Lionel #Messi and his family on his second vacation in Saudi.
“We are happy to share our authentic Saudi welcome with you all”.
While the current visit is part of a promotional contract to highlight tourism in the country, there have been long-time rumours that football clubs in the country will attempt to sign the former Barcelona star when his contract with PSG runs out in the summer.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal has made Lionel Messi a “monster offer,” according to media reports.
The “bumper offer,” if accepted, will be a major boost for the kingdom as it would then have two football superstars playing in their professional league tournaments, the report said.
The prospect of Messi and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is a tantalising prospect for football fans around the world.
The six-time Ballon D’Or winner’s father and business agent, Jorge Horacio, was seen in Riyadh earlier this year, leading to speculation about negotiations for a potential move.
source: arabianbusiness.com
