Fans are furious with Lionel Messi after the Argentinian accepted an offer to become a Saudi Arabia Tourism Ambassador.
On May 9, the footballer arrived in Jeddah to confirm the news that he’d take on the controversial role.
In a Twitter post, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said: “I am pleased to welcome Lionel Messi to Saudi Arabia. We are excited for you to explore the treasure of the Red Sea, the Jeddah Season and our ancient history. This is not his first visit to the Kingdom, and it will not be the last.”
In January 2021, Tribuna claimed that the player turned down a €6 million-a-year deal with ‘Visit Saudi’. However, he’s changed his mind, and we don’t know exactly how much money has got the agreement over the line.
Why Lionel Messi shouldn’t have gotten involved
The rumours of Messi signing this historic contract have been open for a while. In February, families of prisoners of conscience scribed a letter that stressed to Messi that he should not take the deal.
According to The Independent, The human rights body Grant Liberty said: “You are an inspiration to millions and what you say and do really matters. To put it bluntly – you have enormous power, but with that power comes great responsibility.”
They continued: “The Saudi regime wants to use you to launder its reputation. Prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia have been tortured, sexually assaulted, and held in prolonged solitary confinement – often for months at a time – on an industrial scale.
“Women’s rights campaigners, reformist preachers, Shia activists, democracy campaigners, indeed anyone who criticises or even questions the regime can face long-term imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty.
“If you say ‘yes’ to Visit Saudi, you are in effect saying yes to all the human rights abuses that take place today in modern Saudi Arabia. But if you say ‘no’, you will send an equally powerful message – that human rights matter, that decency matters, that those who torture and murder do not do so with impunity. The world must stand up to those who trample on others.”
Read: Lionel Messi: How much is his cryptocurrency contract worth?
How have fans reacted to Lionel Messi partnering up with Saudi Arabia?
The breaking news has supporters around the world feeling let down. Consequently, they’ve taken to Reddit to voice their opinions on the matter.
User Jacubino1 said: “This is even more disappointing than his first season at PSG.”
While dwilliam24 stressed: “No matter how much some make, they will still sell their souls for even a little more.”
StangerLpass added: “No morals at all, this guy. Very disappointing.”
Until the beginning of this season, the world viewed Messi as a one-club man with undying loyalty. However, the perception of the player has drastically changed. In addition to the rumours that he’ll accept an ambassadorial role at the Qatar World Cup following a move to Qatari-owned PSG, his deal with Saudi Arabia has left fans questioning what the forward really cares about.
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