Overview

• Al Ahli has initiated formal talks to sign Messi with a wage package poised to match or exceed Cristiano Ronaldo’s €400 million deal.
• The offer seeks to enlist Messi as the official ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup.
• The proposed move could reignite the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry on Saudi Professional League pitches.
• At 38, Messi must balance his age, recent World Cup disappointment and a contract that lapses this December.
• Inter Miami faces a looming deadline to assemble a counterproposal that can rival Saudi Arabia’s lavish terms.