Cristiano Ronaldo Rejects Multi-Million-Pound Deal, Messi Approached

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is not interested in a multi-million-pound offer to become the face of Saudi Arabian tourism.

The deal is worth about €6million per year (£5.3m) and is understood to have included the Juventus star making visits to the country and Ronaldo’s image being used on all promotional material.

Ronaldo’s great rival Lionel Messi has also been approached by Saudi Arabia’s tourism authority, but his view on the proposal is not yet known.

None of the representatives of Ronaldo and Messi has agreed to discuss the matter when approached by The Telegraph.

Saudi Arabia is aiming to become an attractive tourist hub through its ‘Visit Saudi’ campaign with the country’s reputation in the doldrums over its chequered human rights record, although travel is currently limited due to Covid-19 and Visit Saudi adverts state that a visa must be acquired to go there.

The Arab nation is using sport as a vehicle more generally to promote itself, staging the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah last January, with Messi’s Barcelona competing for the trophy alongside Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Valencia.