Lionel Messi Turned Down the Biggest Contract Offer in Football History

Al Ittihad owner Anmar Al Haili has publicly confirmed the staggering scale of the offer the Saudi club presented to Lionel Messi before the Argentine superstar chose to sign with Inter Miami. The proposal reached an unbelievable €1.4 billion per year, making it the largest contract offer ever made in professional sports history.

From the beginning, the Saudi club’s intention was clear: to complete a signing that would redefine the global transfer market and firmly establish the Saudi Pro League as an elite football destination. Negotiations took place shortly after Messi left Paris Saint-Germain, when his future was still undecided.

Al Haili explained that the project extended far beyond football. The objective was to generate a worldwide impact that would place Al Ittihad and Saudi football at the center of the international conversation, capitalizing on the league’s rapid expansion and global ambitions.

The club owner acknowledged that Al Ittihad had the financial capacity to complete such an unprecedented deal and that money was never an obstacle during the talks. According to Al Haili, Messi was offered complete freedom to shape the agreement — from choosing the length of the contract and his salary to even the possibility of signing a lifetime deal with the Saudi club.

Despite the extraordinary financial terms, Messi ultimately rejected the offer. Al Haili revealed that the decision was driven by personal and family reasons rather than sporting or financial considerations.

The Al Ittihad president also stressed that the club’s interest in Messi remains alive and that the doors will always stay open for the Argentine icon should an opportunity arise in the future.

This revelation once again highlights Messi’s global stature and the new economic reality of modern football. Even in an era dominated by record-breaking figures, the World Cup champion chose to prioritize personal values over the biggest contract offer the sport has ever seen.