Saudi Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Alalshikh met with football legend Lionel Messi on the sidelines of the international friendly match between Brazil and Argentina which will be held on Friday at King Saud University Stadium.
“I am happy to be back here,” Alalshikh said, welcoming the Barca forward in Riyadh.
“A lot of things have changed in Saudi Arabia in the last five years since your last visit. Prince Mohammed bin Salman changed a lot and the whole world is coming to us. He is building a new Saudi,” Alalshikh added.
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) November 14, 2019
This is Messi’s second visit to Riyadh in five years. The striker will return again on Jan. 8, where his team Barcelona will participate in the Spanish Super Cup finals in Jeddah against Valencia in the semi-finals of the tournament.
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) November 14, 2019
The Saudi official touched on Messi’s football career. The 32-year-old’s Barcelona club contract ends in 2021.
“I hope when your contract ends, we will see you play at (UD) Almeria,” Alalshikh said referring to the Spanish he owns.
Alalshikh also talked about the Saudi national football team, saying that he hoped the team will return to its former glory days when the Kingdom won AFC Asian Cup titles in the 80s and 90s.
