The recent incident involving Lionel Messi and his alleged offer of a £320 million per year deal by Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia highlights the depressing state of football at the moment. The greatest player of all time appears to be degrading himself to the highest bidder, showing little regard for anyone but himself.
Lionel Messi’s Saudi Arabia debacle is, in a season packed with them, one of the most depressing incidents that represents just where football is at the moment.
Messi’s suspension by PSG for disappearing mid-season to pursue this offer and promote Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2030 World Cup shows how he is playing political games, without regard for how it may affect his current club’s relations with Saudi Arabia.
Messi will earn a fortune in Saudi Arabia
It is clear that Messi is solely driven by money, with his father, Jorge, often advising him poorly, as seen in his tax affairs and alleged courting of Real Madrid during a contract renewal with Barcelona. Despite his immense talent and legacy, Messi’s post-peak career risks being overshadowed by his greed and lack of concern for the example he sets.
Messi will leave PSG at the end of the season
While players have the right to maximize their earning potential, there should be a balance between financial gain and the impact it has on the sport and its fans. Messi’s actions show that this balance is often disregarded in modern football.
Messi doesn’t need the money
While there may be exceptions to players maximizing their earning potential, it appears that Lionel Messi is not one of them. Despite not needing the money and the fact that accepting such a high-paying offer only serves to make him a plaything of a state that is trying to buy its way into existing global interests, Messi seems content with the situation, as long as the dollars keep rolling in.
The scenario of the greatest rivalry in football history between Messi and Ronaldo coming to an end in the desert, played in front of no one who really cares, is absurd. Ronaldo, who has only been in Saudi Arabia for four months, already seems disillusioned. It begs the question, is this really how Messi wants his career to end?
Saudi Arabia’s need to buy top talent instead of producing it themselves raises ethical concerns, as most people recognize the problem with such a practice. However, Messi appears to be indifferent to these concerns, which is disappointing to see from such an iconic figure in football.