Lionel Messi, football legend, has always had a soft spot for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His relationship with the Kingdom’s Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment, Turki Alsheikh, has always been a strong one. It all started when the football star visited the Kingdom back in 2019 for Saudi’s very first Riyadh Season, in which he was introduced to Saudi Arabia and to its people. The relationship continued to develop as Lionel Messi was announced as the official face of Riyadh Season 2022, and it seems as though the friendship is now reaching its full potential with the latest announcement: the Argentinian footballer, Lionel Messi, is officially Saudi Arabia’s new tourism ambassador. His first stop in the Kingdom? Jeddah.
The minister of tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, said in a Tweet: “Today, I welcome Lionel Messi and his friends to Saudi Arabia for a special vacation in which he explores the treasures of the Red Sea, Jeddah Season and its ancient history. This is not his first visit to the Kingdom and it will not be the last, and I am pleased to announce #Messi_Ambassador_For_Saudi_Tourism.”
The Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment, Turki Alsheikh, has always shown his appreciation towards the Argentinian legend, with Riyadh Season hosting the MESSI10 Cirque De Soleil, a circus show that told us the story of Messi’s life. How he had struggled with a growth deficiency at a young age, only to later become the greatest player of all time.
His first day in Jeddah was spent with her Royal Highness, Princess Haifa Alsaud, the Assistant Minister of Tourism. Her Royal Highness took Lionel Messi on a tour around Historical Jeddah, in which he was introduced to the historical buildings, museums and culture. The tour ended with a luxurious dinner that introduced the footballer to the authentic flavours of Saudi Arabian cuisine.
Earlier today, I had a great time showing Messi and his friends around historic #Jeddah! I’m glad that he was mesmerized by its essence, heritage and beauty.
I look forward to welcoming him, his family and friends again very soon! pic.twitter.com/nWp9LhRGEX
— Haifa Mohammed Al-Saud (@hmalsaud1) May 10, 2022
