In this file photo taken on January 19, 2023, Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi arrives at an airport in Riyadh, ahead of a friendly football match against a select side made up of players from Cristiano Ronaldo's new club Al Nassr and their Saudi rivals Al Hilal. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
Doha: Dutch football legend Marco van Basten criticized Messi’s “poor” rumored decision to have agreed to move to Saudi Arabia to play football next season.
During an interview for Rondo on Ziggo Sport, van Basten said it was “poor” that Messi would go to Saudi Arabia for “a lot of money,” adding that the Argentine football star had already “earned plenty.”
“I can't imagine that. You are your own boss, aren't you? You can play football wherever you want, right?" said van Basten during the interview.
Yesterday, Messi’s father and sporting agent, Jorge Messi, denied any allegations of his son signing with or agreeing to play with any club after an Agence France Presse (AFP) news report stated that the current Paris Saint Germain striker was headed to Saudi Arabia next season.
Messi’s father said that they would wait until the end of the current season before making any move.
Al Hilal FC of Saudi Arabia had reportedly sent Messi an official offer with a salary worth over 400 million Euros per year, reported Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano last month.
