The real reason Lionel Messi went to Saudi Arabia after PSG defeat

Lionel Messi, the Argentine football superstar, has flown to Saudi Arabia with his family just hours after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a shocking home defeat to Lorient in Ligue 1.

Despite Kylian Mbappe scoring an odd goal, the Parisian side was defeated 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, with Enzo Le Fee, Darwin Yongwa, and Bamba Dieng all scoring, while Achraf Hakimi was shown a red card.

PSG, who have faced six defeats in the Ligue One campaign, still remain five points clear at the top of the table.

They are expected to get back on track in their match against Troyes on Sunday, but Messi will have to face quite the turnaround. The football icon played the full 90 minutes of the Lorient loss before flying out to the Middle East, where he is set to spend “a few days,” as per Le Parisien.

Messi was spotted at the airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is based, part of his lucrative contract with Al Nassr. It’s Messi’s third trip to the country, and it is a contractually obligated one due to his role as a Saudi tourism ambassador.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb welcomed Messi and his family, saying,

“I am happy to welcome Saudi Tourism Ambassador Lionel Messi and his family on his second vacation in Saudi Arabia. We are happy to share our authentic Saudi welcome with you all.” A series of images featuring Messi and his family in Saudi Arabia have been released, and Messi shared a post about the country on Instagram prior to his departure.

According to The Athletic, Lionel Messi could be earning up to $25 million per year to promote Saudi Arabia.