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Friday, January 2, 2026

Lionel Messi Courted in Saudi Arabia, Paris, Miami

  • Lionel Messi could have an offer of $300 million per year to play in Saudi Arabia.
  • He could also stay in Paris or come to the U.S.
Lionel-Messi
Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Lionel Messi has at least three continents to choose for his next club destination. 

The soccer superstar reportedly has an offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal that could be worth as much as $300 million per year. His father and agent Jorge Messi was rumored to have traveled to Riyadh to negotiate a deal.

  • Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain, which pays him $54.2 million over two years on top of a $27.1 million signing bonus, expires this summer. PSG is owned by the state-run Qatar Sports Investment.
  • Previous reports indicated that he had agreed to re-sign with the star-laden club, which have since been denied.
  • Last May, Messi signed a deal to promote tourism in Saudi Arabia. PSG will travel to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 19 to play a squad made up of players from Al Hilal and Al-Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr for a reported $75 million per year. Saudi Arabia is looking to host the 2030 World Cup.

Lionel Messi hoists World Cup trophy in front of fans at Lusail Stadium in Qatar

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Messi in Miami?

Another possibility is that Messi could make good on a long-rumored prospect of playing in MLS.

Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, remains interested in luring the star, and Messi has said previously that he’s interested in playing in the U.S. before his career is over.

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