Before the start of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, this is how Argentine star Lionel Messi became “obedient” to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Messi during his visit to Saudi Arabia last May (Twitter)
“Today I welcome Lionel Messi and his friends to Saudi Arabia to spend a special vacation exploring the treasures of the Red Sea, the season of Jeddah and its ancient history. This is not his first visit to the Kingdom, and it will not be. the last one. I am pleased to announce Messi as Saudi tourism ambassador “.
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib said this last May, welcoming the Argentine star Lionel Messi; The French player of Paris Saint-Germain, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, and when he announced his choice as ambassador of Saudi tourism.
Messi’s response didn’t last long in response to this Saudi hospitality. A few days ago he posted on his Instagram page a photo of his visit to Saudi Arabia, and wrote: “If you come to see the World Cup (Qatar 2022) and want to have an authentic Arab experience, do not miss everything there. ‘Saudi Arabia has to offer “, adding:” More flights, more offers, more experiences, visitsaudi.com.
So, Messi didn’t take long to start his mission, but it’s definitely a paid mission, with millions of dollars.
Saudi Arabia and Argentina in a group at the World Cup!
It might be normal for Messi to promote Saudi tourism, as a global star and advertising face, as part of the “business”, which has become an important part of the player’s journey, through which he gets more money, in addition to the money he receives from his. club.
This may seem understandable. It may also seem understandable that Messi sings about Saudi Arabia, visits it and praises it if, for example, he becomes a player of the English club Newcastle, which is owned by Saudi Arabia, but it is not understandable that a star like Messi is promoting tourism. in Saudi Arabia before the start of the World Cup and the arrival of the fans who live there, while the Argentine national team and Saudi Arabia participate in the Qatar World Cup. Furthermore, the Argentine national team is in a group with the Saudi national team, that is, it is a competitor to qualify for the round of 16.
What Messi said went unnoticed, and didn’t make a fuss, but if, for example (and this won’t happen), he was a Brazilian tourism ambassador, he sang about Brazil, and urged her to visit him in the 2014 World Cup Cup in Brazil, the world would have been in turmoil with his words and criticisms were directed at him. In the case of Saudi Arabia, it seems normal from the point of view of many (and it is not), as Saudi Arabia is not Brazil.
Here, the matter is not a criticism of Saudi Arabia, as it seeks to promote tourism internally through a legendary player, and has the skills to make him an ambassador of his tourism (noting that Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has not accepted the offer of Saudi Arabia to be a tourism ambassador in it). The criticisms are aimed at Messi and his stature, especially since what he said comes before the start of the World Cup, in which Argentina and Saudi Arabia compete in a single group.
On the matter, which is also positive for Saudi Arabia, Messi would not have said what he said if relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar had remained unchanged after the famous crisis between them, as Messi is a player of a Gulf emirate team. .
What Messi said is nothing more than the result of the return of water to its courses between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
