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En titt på hvordan kongeriket bruker sin rikdom til å rekruttere toppidrettsutøvere i sin innsats for å pusse opp sitt globale image.
AvKarim ZidanyTariq Panja
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Da solen begynte å synke over en tilsynelatende endeløs strekning av åpent hav, satt Lionel Messi på kanten av en båt, strakte ut et ben og poserte for fotografiet som skulle varsle starten på hans offentlige partnerskap med Saudi-Arabia.
Bildet, delt med de mer enn 400 millioner følgerne av Messi på Instagram på9. mai 2022, ble ledsaget av en tekst på to språk som lyder: «Discovering the Red Sea in Saudi.Oppdage Rødehavet#Besøk Saudi." Timer før hadde han blitt mottatt i kongeriket av den saudiarabiske turistministeren, som skrøt på Twitter at selv om det var Messis første besøk i landet, "det blir ikke den siste".
Messi, ansett som kanskje den beste fotballspilleren i verden, begynte å tjene penger på det nye partnerskapet: Bildet fra Rødehavet ga ham sannsynligvis nærmere 2 millioner dollar, det første skrittet mot å oppfylle avtalen med kongeriket. , som er verdt millioner mer.
Detaljer om Messis rolle som Saudi-Arabias godt betalte promotør finnes i en versjon av kontrakten hans med Tourism Authority, som ble gjennomgått av The New York Times og ikke har blitt offentliggjort før nå.
Kontrakten viser at Messi kan motta opptil 22,5 millioner euro, omtrent 25 millioner dollar, over tre år for lite virkelig arbeid: noen få kommersielle opptredener, en håndfull sosiale medier-innlegg og en ferie i kongeriket med familien sin. og barn. Han forventes å dele bilder fra disse turene – identifisert med en saudi-godkjent hashtag – med hans massive tilhengerskare på nettet.
Men dokumentet inneholder også en viktig betingelse for saudiarabiske tjenestemenn: Messi kan ikke si noe som kan "flekke" Saudi-Arabia, et land som har møtt omfattende kritikk for sin oversikt over menneskerettighetsbrudd.
Disse detaljene i avtalen med Messi, somvant VM med det argentinske laget i desember, gi et innblikk i oljerikets bruk av rikdommen for å rekruttere toppidrettsutøvere i arbeidet med å forbedre dets globale image. Kritikere i Saudi-Arabia kaller strategien for sportsvask (sportsvask), det vil si å bruke sports- og idrettsfigurer for å dekke over landets historikk over menneskerettighetsbrudd, dets behandling av kvinner, drapet på Washington Post-spaltist Jamal Khashoggi og andre autoritære handlinger.
De siste årene har Saudi-Arabia brukt milliarder på store investeringer i profesjonell idrett: kjøp av et engelsk Premier League-fotballlag, mesterskapsboksekamper, en dato på billøpskalenderen til Formel 1, og mer nylig,et vågalt inntog i profesjonell golf.
Kongeriket har tilbudt hundrevis av millioner dollar mer for å tiltrekke seg Cristiano Ronaldo,Karim Benzemaydusinvis av andre fotballstjernerå spille i landets nasjonale liga. Messi avviste nylig et lignende tilbud ogvalgte å bli med Inter Miamifra Major League Soccer, i USA. Men så langt er det ingen tegn til at den avgjørelsen har påvirket forholdet hans til saudierne. Faktisk har Messi virket ivrig etter å forbli på god fot med dem.
I februar 2021, bare uker etter signering av kontrakten, skrev Messi et brev til Saudi-Arabias turistminister, og beklaget at han ikke kunne komme på et planlagt besøk. I det tidligere urapporterte brevet henvendte Messi til turistminister Ahmed Al Khateeb som «din fortreffelighet» og uttrykte i uvanlig blomstrende prosa «dyp beklagelse» over hans fravær. Messi spilte for FC Barcelona på den tiden og skrev at han som "sportproff" hadde forpliktelser som det var umulig for ham å ikke delta på: en ligakamp mot Real Betis etterfulgt av en Copa del Rey-kamp.
Bilde
Over tid fikk saudierne sine besøk. Den siste kom i forrige måned, et år etter hans første Instagram-innlegg om saudiarabisk turisme, da Messi tok en rask midtsesongferie til kongeriket, som, i likhet med alle hans tidligere besøk, ville ha skaffet ham en sum. syvsifret betaling under betingelsene i hans saudiarabiske reiselivskontrakt.
Da hadde Messi forlatt Barcelona og spilte for det franske laget Paris Saint-Germain. Da han kom tilbake fra oppholdet i Saudi-Arabia, suspenderte den franske klubben ham for det de anså som et uautorisert fravær fra trening. Messi ba laget sitt og fansen om unnskyldning med en forklaring som antydet at turen, "som han tidligere hadde kansellert", ikke hadde vært valgfri: "Jeg kunne ikke gjøre dette".
Til nå har detaljene i Messis kontrakt med turistmyndighetene vært en nøye bevoktet hemmelighet. Det er ikke kjent med sikkerhet om kontrakten som er gjennomgått av Times er den gjeldende versjonen av avtalen. Den ble delt av noen med direkte kjennskap til avtalen mellom Messi og saudiene på betingelse av anonymitet fordi personen ikke var autorisert til å røpe detaljer om avtalen. Dokumentet, datert 1. januar 2021, er signert av Messi og broren Rodrigo, som fungerer som hans forretningsrepresentant, men er ikke signert av saudiske tjenestemenn.
Vilkårene som er angitt i dokumentet, er sammenfallende med måten Messi har brukt sine sosiale medier-kontoer for å promotere kongeriket og også med reklamebesøkene han har foretatt i landet.
Kontrakten er spesifikk om Messis forpliktelser og om pengene som vil bli betalt for å oppfylle hver av dem:
Omtrent 2 millioner dollar, nesten 1,8 millioner euro, for minimum ett årlig familieferiebesøk på fem dager eller, alternativt, to årlige feriebesøk på tre dager hver. Reiseutgifter og femstjerners overnatting vil bli dekket av den saudiske regjeringen, for Messi og opptil 20 familier og venner.
Ytterligere 2 millioner dollar for å promotere Saudi-Arabia på hans sosiale mediekontoer 10 ganger i året, i tillegg til å promotere ferien hans i kongeriket.
Omtrent 2 millioner dollar mer for å delta i en årlig reiselivskampanje. (Messi og den saudiske myndigheten delte den første kampanjen, en kraftig produsert ørkenvideo, i november.)
Ytterligere 2 millioner dollar til forestillinger og veldedighetsarbeid.
Få mennesker var villige til å kommentere betingelsene for Messis avtale. Pablo Negre Abelló, ansvarlig for Messis kommersielle avtaler, siterte inkluderingen av konfidensialitetsklausuler i alle Messis kontrakter. Negre foreslo at en Times-reporter skulle kontakte turistmyndighetene. Saudiarabiske tjenestemenn svarte ikke på flere forespørsler om kommentarer.
Rayco García Cabrera, en tidligere fotballspiller som formidlet møtet mellom Messis representanter og saudiske tjenestemenn, inkludert turistministeren, sa at avtalen var verdt «et lite beløp» sammenlignet med de enorme lønningene landet betaler til stjerner som Ronaldo og Benzema. Men, sa Garcia, Messi hadde sagt ja til å være en talsmann for turisme fordi han "tror på Saudi-Arabia og på visjonen om Saudi-Arabia."
"Jeg var midt i alt dette," la Garcia til, "og jeg ble virkelig overrasket over at Messi ikke ba om et stort beløp." Garcia sa at han ikke var klar over de nøyaktige vilkårene i avtalen.
En gjennomgang av Messis innlegg på sosiale medier og reiser viser at han tilsynelatende overholder vilkårene i kontrakten. Instagram-kontoen hans – som er en av de største på plattformen, med 470 millioner følgere – har presenterten vanlig flytav meldinger og bilder om Saudi-Arabia. På besøket i mai ble Messi fotografert sammen med sin kone og barn som engasjerte seg i en rekke familieaktiviteter: klappe hester med barna sine, leke i et spillrom og slappe av ved siden av en håndverker mens han holdt en strikket lue.
Bilde
Bilde
I 2021, midt i nyheter som knytter Messi til Saudi-Arabia, oppfordret pårørende til saudiske dissidenter spilleren til å avvise sponsortilbudet han til slutt aksepterte. Iet åpent brevDe tryglet ham: «Det saudiske regimet ønsker å bruke deg til å rydde opp i sitt rykte».
Saudiarabiske myndigheter har avvist denne påstanden. Messi på sin side har ikke tatt stilling til saken. I stedet har han uttrykt sin ærefrykt over den naturlige skjønnheten som finnes i Saudi-Arabia.
Et av Messis nylige innlegg er et bilde av kongedømmets daddelpalmeplantasje og andre naturlige attraksjoner. Teksten spør:Hvem trodde Saudi hadde så mye grønt?”.
Tariq Panja dekker noen av de mørkeste hjørnene av den globale sportsindustrien. Han er også medforfatter avFotballens hemmelige handel, en åpenbaring om industrien for fotballspillere på flere milliarder dollar.@tariqpanja
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FAQs
How much is Messi getting paid at Inter Miami? ›
Inter Miami will pay Messi between $50-$60 million per year. Additionally, Messi could possibly be targeting the 2026 World Cup in the U.S. as the finish to his career, which a four-year contract would potentially run through.
How much is Lionel Messi paid? › Who said Messi is the best? ›According to the Spanish publication, Ronaldinho stated that Messi is the greatest player the sport has to offer: "He is the best in the world, and there's nothing more to be said."
How much is Messi weekly salary? ›Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi is one of the highest-paid players in the world, as he reportedly takes home a $41 million annual net salary, including add-ons. His weekly salary stands at over $788,000. Messi, 35, joined PSG in the summer of 2021 after running down his contract with Barcelona.
How much is Messi house in Miami? ›Lionel Messi: Inside his fabulous apartment in Miami priced at $7.3 million.
Does Inter Miami have a jersey sponsor? ›Inter Miami CF have revealed the club's first-ever jersey sponsor, announcing Wednesday a multi-year partnership with XBTO, a prominent, global cryptofinance firm. The jersey partnership, which is among the biggest deals in MLS to date, marks the first cryptofinance partnership deal in the league.
How much is Saudi Arabia willing to pay Messi? ›Lionel Messi's reported $25 million deal with Saudi Arabia for a few social media posts and all-expenses-paid family vacations comes with one condition.
How much does Ronaldo make a day in Saudi Arabia? ›Ronaldo penned a record-breaking £177m-per-year deal when he joined Al Nassr after having his contract ripped up by Manchester United. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner pockets a staggering £485k-per-day in the Gulf nation, which equates to £14.75m every month, £3.4m-a-week, £20k-per-hour and £337 every minute.
How much is Ronaldo getting paid Saudi Arabia? ›How much is Ronaldo paid in Saudi Arabia? Salary details. According to multiple reports, Ronaldo is being paid around $213 million (£173m) a year by Al Nassr.
Who is No 1 Messi or Ronaldo? ›Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (7). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.
Who is the world richest footballer? ›
Ronaldo (Net Worth) - $160 million
His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning two Ballon d'Or awards. How does Ronaldo spend his money?
Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, is considered the football god of all time. No player has won more world cups (3) than him.
How much does Messi get for winning the World Cup? ›344 Crore, here's what other teams got.
How much is Ronaldo salary per week? ›What is Cristiano Ronaldo's salary? Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr is reported to ensure a salary of $215 million (£177m) a year. That breaks down as approximately $4.1 million (£3.4m) a week.
How much does Ronaldo make an hour? ›According to estimates, the Portuguese's contract with Al-Nassr, which was made public at the end of December 2022, was for an estimated 200 million dollars a year for two seasons. If this figure is broken down by day, CR7 will earn 548,000 dollars every 24 hours and more than 22,000 dollars every 60 minutes.
How many cars does Messi have? ›How many cars does Messi have? Lionel Messi owns an estimated 12–15 cars in his garage. He has been an enthusiast of the automotive offerings by big names like Ferrari, Pagani, and Maserati.
Does Lionel Messi own a hotel? ›MiM Andorra will open in February 2023, becoming the sixth hotel owned by footballer Lionel Messi and managed by Majestic Hotel Group.
What cars does Messi have? ›- Pagani Zonda Tricolore. Pagani Tricolore is one of the most expensive cars in the world . ...
- Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti. ...
- Audi cars. ...
- Cadillac Escalade. ...
- Mercedes SLS AMG. ...
- Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale. ...
- Ferrari F430 Spyder. ...
- Range Rover Cars.
Who owns Inter Miami? Former England international David Beckham is the most recognized face of the Inter Miami ownership group. Beckham is joined by two local Miami entrepreneurs, Jorge Mas and his brother Jose Mas, as majority owners.
Does Messi own Inter Miami? ›Inter Miami are co-owned by former England captain David Beckham, who was one of the first major European stars to move to the United States to play in the MLS, winning the MLS Cup twice with Los Angeles Galaxy.
How did Beckham buy Inter Miami? ›
The effort originated in a contract David Beckham signed with MLS in 2007; he joined LA Galaxy and negotiated an option to own an expansion team at a discounted franchise fee. On September 17, 2021, it was announced that Beckham and the Mas brothers had bought out Claure and Son's stakes in the ownership group.
Which soccer player has a 400 million dollar contract? ›Lionel Messi has received a monstrous offer worth more than €400 million ($438 million) a year to continue his club career in Saudi Arabia, transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano and the Saudi Gazette have reported.
How much did Dubai offer Messi? ›Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi has an offer on the table from Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal that would net him $440 million annually, according to Italian soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano. If Messi accepted the offer from Al Hilal, he would be the highest-paid athlete in the world by a wide margin.
Who is the soccer player with 400 million contract? ›The kingdom is reportedly willing to pay Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi $400 million-a-year for the twilight of his career.
How much does Ronaldo make a year in US dollars? ›As of December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo had the highest salary out of any soccer player worldwide, earning an estimated 200 million U.S. dollars a year with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi earned around 65 million U.S. dollars a year, as well as 55 million U.S. dollars in off-field income.
Who is the highest-paid player in the world 2023? ›Cristiano Ronaldo: Soccer star tops Forbes' highest-paid athlete list for 2023 | CNN.
Will Ronaldo pay tax in Saudi Arabia? ›There is also no income tax for Saudi nationals, with a 20% flat rate on tax-adjusted profit for non-Saudis. In short, Ronaldo -- and all foreign players in the Pro League -- will lose far less of his earnings than he would in any European league.
What is the largest soccer contract? ›Highest value global sports contracts 2022
The biggest sports contract of all time, worth an estimated 674 million U.S. dollars, belonged to soccer star Lionel Messi. However, these large contracts are not limited to just soccer, but are also seen in other sports such as basketball, baseball, and American football.
Forbes puts Ronaldo's lifetime earnings at $1.24 billion. He is estimated to have a net worth of $500 million after tax, according to wealth tracking website Celebrity Net Worth, although the total does not account for his Al-Nassr salary.
Who is better Messi or Pele? ›The Argentine has scored more World Cup goals - 13 - than his two rivals, though he's played more games. Pele hit 12 goals at the World Cup and Ronaldo has notched eight times. Pele's ratio, though, sees him come out on top again; 0.86 compared to Messi on 0.5 and Ronaldo on 0.36.
Who has more golden boots Messi or Ronaldo? ›
Lionel Messi is the all time record winner of the award, having won it six times overall. He also holds the record for most goals and most points in a single season (50 and 100 respectively, in 2011–12). Cristiano Ronaldo is second on the all time list, having won four Golden Shoes, as well as two consecutively.
Who has most records Messi or Ronaldo? ›- Argentine legend Lionel Messi holds a staggering number of Guinness World Records, and the Inter-Miami-bound superstar is expected to smash more before he retires.
- The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has already bagged 34 trophies at club level, making him one of the most decorated footballers ever.
Who is the number one richest actor in the world? Currently, Jami Gertz is the richest actor in the world with a net worth of $3 billion.
Who is the fastest football player? ›What we do know is that the fastest official speed ever recorded belongs to Tyreek Hill. "Cheetah" reached 23.24 mph on a kickoff return against the Texans during his rookie season.
Who is biggest GOAT in all sports? ›Football: Tom Brady
The NFL's Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate was all but settled when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers absolutely smoked Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Walter Camp is credited with altering the rules of rugby to create the game of modern North American football we are familiar with today. The line of scrimmage, use of downs, point system, the number of players per side, and the creation of the quarterback position all stemmed from Walter Camp's influence.
Who is the GOAT of the GOAT? ›New England Patriots hero Tom Brady is the 'GOAT of all GOATs'. He took this spot from Michael Jordan after his seventh Super Bowl in 2022 triumph, which has made him clear of the pack among sports legends.
Who is the goat Messi or Ronaldo? ›| Cristiano Ronaldo | Stat | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | International caps | 175 |
| 123 | International goals | 103 |
| 0.62 | Goals per game | 0.59 |
In February 2017, this relationship turned into a lifelong commitment when Messi signed a lifetime deal with the brand. As per media reports, the deal fetches Messi £18 million every year.
Do World Cup teams get paid? ›
How much money do players make at the World Cup? As the key part of any successful team, players also benefit financially from featuring at a World Cup. While base salaries differ between national teams and for different players, they do get a share of whatever prize money their team walks away with.
How many cars does Ronaldo have? ›If you are awestruck after reading this, let us give you a proper lowdown of the Cristiano Ronaldo car collection that has 20 luxury cars including 3 Bugattis, Five Ferraris, a Mclaren Senna, a Mercedes G Wagon Brabus, two Audis, three Porsche cars, three Mercedes amongst others.
How much does Ronaldo receive per day? ›Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns around $400 per minute. Ronaldo's mega contract with the nine time SPL champions will see him pocket an exorbitant $200 million per season. His earning per day is around $550,000. The Portuguese superstar earns approximately $22,000 per hour.
Who is the highest paid player at Real Madrid? ›- Barcelona CM Frenkie de Jong: $40,484,422. ...
- Barcelona DM Sergio Busquets: $39,944,926. ...
- Real Madrid LW Eden Hazard $33,737,269. ...
- Real Madrid CM Toni Kroos: $26,350,468. ...
- Real Madrid CF Karim Benzema: $25,910,222. ...
- Real Madrid CB David Alaba: $24,290,834.
Soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both reached billionaire status for the first time, together with golfer Tiger Woods, the NBA's LeBron James, boxer Floyd Mayweather, and retired tennis player Roger Federer. Basketball legend Michael Jordan has remained on the list since 2014.
Why is Ronaldo paid so much? ›He plays in the highest-paying league in all of Europe. Big companies like Nike and Herbalife give him more money on top of that because of how recognizable he is. Given that he is 37, which is slightly older than when most football players leave the pitch, he may need to quit the sport sooner than most would like.
How much money does Messi make a day? ›Every day is like a lottery win for Messi, with daily earnings of $345,000. Digging deeper, the Argentina forward makes over $14,000 every hour, $233 per minute and almost $4 every second.
Is Messi trading to Miami? ›It's been three days since soccer legend Lionel Messi shocked the soccer world by announcing his move to MLS club Inter Miami FC after parting ways with Paris Saint-Germain, and ticket prices around the league are already soaring.
Who owns Inter Miami players? ›Jorge Mas, Inter Miami CEO and managing owner, recently explained how profound the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner coming to Major League Soccer would be.
How much did Messi turn down? ›$1.6 billion was reportedly what Messi turned down from the Saudi League to join Inter Miami and MLS. Although, he will get paid in other ways including a share of Adidas Kit sales, Apple TV season pass revenue, and an option for ownership in the club when he retires.
What businesses does Lionel Messi own? ›
- 1 His Lifetime Deal With Adidas.
- 2 The Jacob & Co Collaboration. ...
- 3 The Messi Experience Park. ...
- 4 Messi's Playtime Sports Investment Firm. ...
- 5 The L10 Wines. ...
- 6 The Football Academy. ...
- 7 Lionel Messi's Merchandise Store. ...
- 8 A Global Chain Of Boutique Hotels. ...
Messi is no stranger to Miami. He and his family have been there on multiple holidays and, according to Cadena SER, Messi bought a luxury property in Miami back in 2019. Messi is said to own an apartment in the Porsche Design Tower.
How much is Messi on the transfer market? ›Lionel Messi transfer latest: $600m offer, Barcelona and Chelsea links as PSG decision made - football.
Does Beckham own LA Galaxy? ›LA Galaxy. The LA Galaxy are owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group – created by Philip Anschutz. Anschutz Entertainment Group also owns stakes in the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.
Does David Beckham own MLS team? ›The effort originated in a contract David Beckham signed with MLS in 2007; he joined LA Galaxy and negotiated an option to own an expansion team at a discounted franchise fee. On September 17, 2021, it was announced that Beckham and the Mas brothers had bought out Claure and Son's stakes in the ownership group.
What is the net worth of PSG? ›PSG currently have the fifth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of €654m according to Deloitte, and are the world's seventh-most valuable football club, worth $4.21bn according to Forbes.
How much did Saudi Arabia pay Messi? ›Lionel Messi's reported $25 million deal with Saudi Arabia for a few social media posts and all-expenses-paid family vacations comes with one condition.
Is Messi a billionaire in dollars? ›Barcelona star Lionel Messi has become football's second billionaire. After Cristiano Ronaldo previously achieved the feat, Messi has now earned $1billion in pre-tax earnings during his career, as reported by Forbes.
Is Lionel Messi overpaid? ›And despite his status as one of the finest players in the world, Messi comes out at the top of the list of overpaid stars, with the IJCSS contending his true value is some €320,000 lower than his actual weekly wage.