According to a story by The New York Times, Lionel Messi, who is among the highest-paid players in the world, inked a lucrative deal with the tourism department of Saudi Arabia in 2021 to promote the kingdom.

As a sort of ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism industry, the Argentine soccer player may collect up to $25 million over the course of three years, according to newly disclosed contract papers that were examined by the Times. these information were revealed recently.

One of the terms of the agreement stipulates that Messi must provide updates on his trip to Saudi Arabia on his various social media platforms, which now have a total of 472 million followers on Instagram. The month of May 2022 is the date of some of the earliest Instagram postings that trace back to him in the country.

“If you are on your way to watch the World Cup and you are interested in having a genuine Arabian experience, you might consider here. Don’t afford to miss out on all that Saudi Arabia has to offer! Beginning on October 7, 2022, Messi said in an Instagram post that was identified as a paid engagement with Visit Saudi of Saudi Arabia.

It was stated by the Times that Messi is prohibited from saying anything that could “tarnish” Saudi Arabia as part of this business arrangement. The fact that the nation has a very bad track record when it comes to human rights makes this clause in the contract a crucial one.

In more recent times, the nation has been accused of seeking to cover up crimes by supporting a golf competition known as LIV Golf. On June 6, LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, which had previously competed against one another, made an unexpected announcement regarding their merger.

The amount of money that Messi receives for meeting each contract agreement is detailed in a document that was examined by the Times. This includes around $2 million for Messi to take one annual family vacation to the country for five days or two annual vacations of three days each. According to the article, the Saudi government will assume responsibility for covering the costs of travel for Messi and up to twenty members of his family and friends.

In addition to this, Messi is required to promote Saudi Arabia on his social media account, take part in the tourism promotion of the country, and engage in philanthropic activities and guest appearances. According to a report by the Times, each obligation pays out almost $2 million. Regarding Messi’s contract, it is not apparent whether the paper that was read by the Times matches the most recent version of the terms.

The hefty deal exemplifies Saudi Arabia’s ongoing interest in the prolific soccer player, who, according to Forbes, is the second highest-paid athlete in the world, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.

It has been reported by The Athletic that Messi was given a yearly salary of $429 million in order to join Al Hilal, the Saudi Arabian soccer team. David Beckham was one of the co-founders of the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Inter Miami, which is located in Florida. Messi ultimately made the decision to join the team.

There is no information available regarding the specifics of the Major League Soccer offer; however, according to The Athletic, Messi may be eligible to collect a piece of the $2.5 billion deal that the MLS has with Apple. Apple has an arrangement to stream the league’s matches for the next ten years.