Don't do it, Leo!

The World Cup champion has not yet decided on his future, but it is astounding that he is even thinking about joining Al-Hilal.

The statement made on Tuesday by AFP that Lionel Messi's projected transfer to Al-Hilal was a "done deal" infuriated Messi's father. Jorge scoffed at the report and underlined that no choice has yet been made about the captain of Argentina's next season team.

In that regard, Messi's recent actions, both on and off the pitch, have been incredibly disappointing. His alleged lack of ethics is best summed up by the fact that he was recently suspended by Paris Saint-Germain, which is owned by Qatar, for performing a promotional duty in Saudi Arabia.

Switching to Saudi Arabia would be absurd

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The Football Show on Off The Ball once heard Argentine author Marcela Mora y Araujo say, "I think Messi's super-bright but I don't think he's overly engaged with wider issues."

Which is why he disregarded a public appeal by the relatives of a number of Saudi political prisoners to refuse the rich offer to promote tourism in a nation with a dismal track record for human rights. So, from a moral standpoint, it is completely expected that Messi would have no reluctance to join Al-Hilal.

Switching to Saudi Arabia would be absurd

However, it's a transfer that doesn't make much sense from a sports perspective. A sixth Champions League title has long been a goal of Messi's. He has often acknowledged over the past five years that it is his only remaining "dream" at the club level.

'Helpless and desperate' at PSG

Remember, he said he was in the "best place" to conquer Europe one final time when he showed up at the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2021 following his traumatic Barcelona break-up. I believe we have the team to succeed here, he declared. "I really hope we can make it happen." They obviously didn't. In each of Messi's two seasons in France, PSG has experienced a humiliating last-16 elimination.

PSG players just lack the knowledge of how to collaborate and contribute to a goal's scoring

The departure this year was very difficult to accept. PSG had given up in the dying moments of their 2021 Santiago Bernabeu defeat to Real Madrid, but at least they had played well for the rest of the match. The same could not be said of their most recent elimination, in which PSG submitted to a Bayern Munich squad that was plainly superior in the meekest of ways, providing little to no opposition in the second leg at the Allianz Arena.

Actually, that was a little difficult to watch. Although Philipp Lahm was obviously happy to see his team advance, even he was moved by the image of Messi appearing lost as PSG broke down all around him. In Munich, "he displayed his extra class at specific times," Lahm told Sport Bild. "But Messi's talent is applied carelessly, aimlessly, and without direction. PSG players just lack the knowledge of how to collaborate and contribute to a goal's scoring.

Take a wage cut to go back to Barca

Although one may contend that he deserves better, it's hard to feel sorry for a person whose fate is still largely in his own hands. Messi doesn't need to relocate to Saudi Arabia, after all. He definitely doesn't need the money. There are still a number of elite European teams who would be more than glad to sign him if it weren't for sensible Financial Fair Play (FFP) worries. However, there is nothing stopping Messi from reducing his outrageous pay demands in order to become more marketable.

Let's face it, he could take a big pay cut to make it happen and still end up well-paid if he truly wanted to go back to his beloved Barcelona. Messi was understandably outraged when club president Joan Laporta said that in order to stay at Camp Nou in 2021, he should have promised to "play for free" because he was not to blame for the Catalans' financial woes and was thus under no obligation to fix them.

Messi doesn't need to relocate to Saudi Arabia, after all

From a legal standpoint, it wouldn't have even been conceivable, so it was kind of a sly maneuver on Laporta's behalf, an apparent attempt to deflect some of the responsibility from Barca for losing the best player in club history due to the carelessness of the previous administration.

There was, however, a bit more to it than that since Messi, as we all know, is acutely aware of his own worth and has never been prepared to undersell himself.

The 2026 World Cup goal

That was something PSG recently tried to persuade him to stay at the Parc des Princes, but failed. They truly could have done with Messi agreeing to accept a reduced compensation package given their own FFP concerns, but there was never any possibility of that occurring.

In especially when it comes to his income, he has undoubtedly earned the right to behave as he pleases. That is his right if he wants to make as much money as he can before retiring. It's also important to note that he comes off as a kind person. He has generously contributed large quantities of money to charity throughout the years and has supported many deserving causes.

Given that he has been astonishing the viewing world for almost two decades, delivering time and time again for club and country despite being under strain that most of us cannot even fathom, it is really somewhat selfish of us to want him to continue playing at the very best level.

Playing in the low-level Pro League would most likely allow Messi to extend his career and significantly lessen the stress and strain placed upon his 35-year-old frame as he attempts to realize his ambitious goal of features - and more importantly, starring - at the 2026 World Cup. No player, even one who has long appeared to be super-human, is immune to the ravages of time.

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