Lionel Messi's name is once again shaking the Middle East. 'Saudi oil money' has already shown a presence strong enough to upend the order of European soccer, but this time the scale has gone beyond common sense. They even mentioned a 'contract unprecedented in history' for Messi, and in effect issued a declaration saying, "write down all the conditions you want."
OneFootball on the 13th (Korean time) reported, "Lionel Messi's name is once again in the spotlight in the Middle East. Anmar Al-Haili, chairman of Saudi club Al Ittihad, reaffirmed his obsession with signing Messi and said he is willing to offer a contract unprecedented in the history of professional sports."
What was more shocking came next. The outlet said, "The head of Al Ittihad made it clear that money is absolutely no issue in getting Messi into an Al Ittihad uniform," and added, "If Messi accepts, he can set his own salary and contract length, and even a 'lifelong contract' type relationship is possible." It was not a matter of how much money they could pay, but that they could complete the contract exactly as Messi wanted. Al-Haili even said, "Financial gain means nothing to me. I want Messi, the greatest player in history."
In fact, Al Ittihad's 'obsession with Messi' is not new. When Messi's relationship with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soured and he was looking for a new team, OneFootball reported that Al Ittihad prepared an unimaginably large offer of 1.4 billion euros (2.41 trillion won) in salary for Messi. It's a number that could shake not only soccer history but the entire history of professional sports.
The comparison makes it even more striking. Al Ittihad reportedly prepared an offer of 30 million euros (51.5 billion won) in salary in the summer of 2023 to sign Son Heung-min. That alone was an "all-time offer." Converted to a weekly pay, it was a shocking condition exceeding 1 billion won.
But even Son Heung-min's offer becomes a small number compared with Messi. The difference between 30 million euros and 1.4 billion euros is about 47 times. A different world opened up for Messi. If this is true, it becomes hard to imagine how far Saudi capital can reach.
Currently, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is called the "highest-paid player in soccer history," is estimated to earn about 250 million euros (about 430 billion won) at Al Nassr. If Messi had accepted the offer, he could have received a salary about 5.6 times that of Ronaldo. The amount Messi would have received was of a scale that could change the very standards of the sports industry beyond soccer.
But the result was different. Messi chose family over money. The outlet explained, "After Messi left PSG, Al Ittihad made an astronomical offer of 1.4 billion euros in salary, but Messi rejected it, prioritizing family life in the United States." When the route back to Barcelona was blocked, Messi wanted to leave Europe and ultimately chose the United States over Saudi Arabia. By putting on an Inter Miami uniform, he chose a "new life" and a "new challenge."
Messi's current salary at Inter Miami is reported to be about $20 million (29.5 billion won). He is the highest-paid star in MLS, but compared with the numbers Saudi prepared, it is literally a "different world." Still, Messi chose family, lifestyle and environment over money. And Saudi Arabia seems not yet to have accepted that choice. The engine is revving again to unsettle Messi once more.
Messi has already proven everything in soccer history. But Saudi Arabia still wants the "final scene." The moment Messi steps onto the Saudi stage, Middle Eastern soccer itself could rise to a completely different level. Now only one thing remains: whether Messi will once again change the direction of his life, and whether Saudi Arabia can unsettle him to the end.
[OSEN]