Lionel Messi said no to one of the biggest offers in football when his contract at Paris Saint-Germain ended in 2023.
The 36-year-old was the subject of mass speculation after it emerged that he would not be signing a contract extension to stay in the French capital.
Some fans speculated that the Argentine would follow Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, while others were hoping Messi would make an emotional return to his former club Barcelona for ‘one last dance’.
Instead, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner moved to the United States to play for MLS side Inter Miami.
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In 2023, football insider Fabrizio Romano reported that Al-Hilal was ready to offer Messi a mega contract for the superstar to move to the Middle East.
Al-Hilal president Anmar Al Haili confirmed the reports, adding that Messi turned down a staggering €1.4 billion.
He said, per SPORTbible, “We presented him with an offer of 1.4 billion euros, but the player refused because his family wanted America.”
“It was a surprise how the player could refuse such a huge offer for the sake of his family. It was possible to convince his family, but he did not hesitate to refuse.”
“We respect this, as family is more important than money “
Messi would have reunited with his former Barcelona teammate Neymar, if he had accepted the offer. Al-Hilal’s attack would have comprised the two former Barcelona stars alongside former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who left the Premier League for Saudi Arabia after the 2022/2023 campaign.