Overview
- Abdullah Hammad of Mahd Sports Academy said Messi’s representatives approached him during the last Club World Cup about a brief Saudi Pro League spell to stay fit during MLS’s near four‑month offseason.
- Hammad said he relayed the idea to the sports minister, who rejected it with the message that the league would not serve as a preparation platform for other tournaments.
- Asked directly if Saudi Arabia had rejected Messi, Hammad replied, “That’s true,” in comments reported by AFP from the Thmanyah podcast.
- Messi remains with Inter Miami in MLS, and he has said he will decide on playing at the 2026 World Cup after evaluating his preseason fitness.
- Saudi clubs have recently signed stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema, but Hammad framed the decision as a stance favoring longer‑term commitments over short‑term fitness stints, referencing David Beckham’s 2010 Milan loan as context.