Riyadh, Oct. 30 -- Saudi Arabia has rejected an offer from Argentine football legend Lionel Messi to play in the Saudi Pro League during the Major League Soccer (MLS) off-season, a senior sports official has revealed.

Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Sports Academy, disclosed during the Socrates podcast on the Arabic platform Thmanyah that Messi's representatives approached him during the last Club World Cup with a proposal for the 38-year-old star to play in Saudi Arabia while the American league paused for four months.

"Messi's team contacted me and expressed his desire to play in Saudi Arabia during the MLS break to stay active and prepare for the 2026 World Cup," Hammad said. "I presented the offer to the minister of sports, but he ...