Argentina captain Lionel Messi will leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of the French season, following a two-week suspension for taking an unauthorized break.
The 35-year-old was invited by the Saudi Arabian Tourism Board but had not obtained permission from PSG to make the announcement and was told to stay away from education and any matches for the next 14 days.
The Saudis shared photos of Messi with Newsweek showing the inside story of what has put football in trouble with his club and saw the team announce that France would not renew his contract at the end of the season.
Messi reportedly argued that he believed he had permission to travel, but that a change in the calendar had put him in conflict with the club.
The Argentine is Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambassador and was invited to revel in the country’s unique culture, which has been criticized for its perspectives on human rights and LGBTQ rights.
Messi visited Diriyah, which is the birthplace of the first Saudi state and one of six UNESCO World Heritage sites in Saudi Arabia.
The soccer star and his circle of family enjoyed what was offered at the Arabian Horse Museum and approached a white hawk on his arm.
The family attended a demonstration of weaving palm trees against a background of palm trees, a symbol of tradition in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom produces more than 1. 5 million tons of dates a year, which are a central element of its cuisine.
Arabian gazelles, once on the brink of extinction, are now part of a regeneration and preservation program that has seen the population grow exponentially. Messi had the chance to see it for himself while visiting the 12,400-square-kilometer Sharaan Nature Reserve.
Saudi Arabia may be the destination of Messi’s football career with Al-Hilal after submitting a $442 million bid for the World Cup winner’s services.
Barcelona are also keen to bring Messi back to their Camp Nou stadium, and Messi has expressed a desire for that to happen, however, with La Liga leaders facing monetary difficulties, it may be a long time before Messi returns there.
Major League Soccer is also the most sensible on the list for the Argentine star, and Inter Miami, owned by David Beckham and billionaire businessman brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, reportedly said it would sign up for Messi’s services.
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