Fans blast Lionel Messi after reports his ‘soulless’ £522M move to Saudi Arabia from PSG has been agreed, with the Argentine superstar criticized for ‘sportwashing human rights abusers’
Fans have criticized Lionel Messi after reports he has agreed to a massive £522 million move to Saudi Arabia.
Mail sports reported Tuesday morning that Messi’s transfer to Saudi Al-Hilal is a ‘done deal’, according to AFP.
The Argentina World Cup winner will leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires this summer.
And the 35-year-old veteran looks set to turn down offers from around the world and make a mega-money move to the Middle East to end his rivalry with Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo. is to revive.
The transfer would be controversial due to the Gulf state’s highly questionable human and gay rights record, its involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, frequent executions in the country and allegations of “sportwashing.”
Fans have criticized Lionel Messi following his reported £522 million move to Saudi Arabia
The Paris Saint-Germain star will join Saudi side Al-Hilal this summer in a lucrative transfer
The move would see Messi rekindle his rivalry with Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo (right)
And fans quickly took to social media to voice their disapproval of Messi’s proposed move
Football supporters quickly took to social media to voice their disapproval of the hugely lucrative move.
One tweeted, “Not a fitting way to end such an illustrious career in some desert.”
Added a second simply: ‘Money Money Money.’
Another said, “What a way to end your career.”
While someone posted, “That would be the end of a legendary career.”
A fifth continued: “Either you retire a hero, or you play long enough to give human rights abusers a sport.”
And another said: “Both Messi and Ronaldo end their careers in disgraceful fashion by becoming unashamed sportswashing sponsors.
Before anyone concluded: ‘The last years of Messi’s club career have diminished his legacy in my view. What a dull, tired, soulless way to end a career.”
Supporters accused the Argentine, 35, of a ‘s***’ move in ‘sportwashing human rights abusers’