Saudi Arabia turned down an offer from football legend Lionel Messi to play in the Saudi Pro League during the Major League Soccer (MLS) off-season, a senior sports official has disclosed.

Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Sports Academy, said during a podcast with Arabic platform Thmanyah that Messi's representatives approached him during the last Club World Cup, proposing a short-term deal for the Argentine star to stay active while the MLS paused for nearly four months.

The player wanted to remain in shape and prepare for the 2026 World Cup," Hammad said, noting that he passed the offer to the Minister of Sports, who declined it. "The minister made it clear that the Saudi league would not serve as a preparation platform for other tournaments."

Hammad also contrasted the approaches of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying while Messi maintained close ties to Barcelona and set specific conditions, Ronaldo embraced a new challenge when he joined Al Nassr in 2022.