Although Kylian Mbappé scored a spectacular goal, PSG’s unexpected 3-1 defeat to Lyon came just hours before Lionel Messi and his family were due to leave for Saudi Arabia. Although PSG remain five points clear of their rivals in the league, the game, played at the Parc des Princes, was their sixth defeat of the year. Achraf Hakimi was sent off and Lyon’s goals came from Enzo Le Fée, Darwin Yongwa and Bamba Dieng.
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Messi left for the Middle East after the match, where he is expected to stay for a few days. He was seen at the airport in Riyadh, where his long-time rival Al Nassr currently plays.
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As part of his responsibilities as Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambassador, Messi is making his third trip to Saudi Arabia. Before returning in January for a friendly match against Ronaldo’s Riyadh XI, he travelled to Jeddah to witness the Red Sea.
“I am delighted to welcome Saudi Arabia Tourism Ambassador Lionel Messi and his family on his second visit to Saudi Arabia,” said Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb.
Messi expressed his surprise at the amount of greenery in Saudi Arabia on social media before his departure, writing: “Who knew Saudi Arabia had so much greenery? I like to take any opportunity to learn about its amazing wonders.” Messi could reportedly earn upwards of $25 million a year by encouraging travel to the nation.
