Emirate investors achieve a spectacular blow with the signing of Argentina's Lionel Messi, one of the best players in the world, at Paris Saint-Germain.
It is also a real marketing coup for Qatar on an international scale, less than a year and a half away from the FIFA World Cup.
TO ANALYSE
In ten years, Paris Saint-Germain will have enabled Qatar to carve out a place of choice in world football.
By offering the services of Argentine star Lionel Messi for an annual salary of around 30 million euros, according to
L'Équipe
, Qatari investors and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of the Parisian club, achieve a sporting coup and diplomatic front before the World Cup organized in Qatar, in December 2022. After Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Beckham and Neymar, the six-fold Golden Ball is the latest jewel in the collection, and not the least.
Messi, Neymar, Mbappé: three stars attracted to Qatar
The sporting objective is stated: to win the Champions League, the Holy Grail of European football, which PSG has always refused since the arrival of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in 2011. But the diplomatic issue is just as crucial for the emirate, which seeks to relegate criticism of the organization of the 2022 World Cup. "I think it is unexpected for them to have these players (Messi, Neymar and Mbappé,
editor's note
), these three football stars world united under the banner of Paris Saint-Germain and therefore Qatar, "said Jimmy Algérino, former defender of the capital club, with Europe 1.
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"The Qataris will have the possibility of winning the Champions League. Afterwards, for this World Cup, they will have these banners which will remind them that they are at PSG and that it is Qatar who managed to bring them in" , continues the former French player. For Jimmy Algérino, the arrival of one of the best players in the world is also a boon for the president of the Parisian club, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who has gained influence in France and in Europe. Last April, for example, he became president of the European Association of Clubs (ECA).
"When you see what happened with French football, he worked with the league, with beIN Sports (for television rights,
note
). Also, the fact of having put a little through compared the Super League project, and today to bring Messi to PSG ... ", lists Algérino.
"Having money and using it well allows you to do incredible things."
The rivalry between PSG and Manchester City
PSG also allows Qatar to compete with the neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi, whose Sheikh Mansour has held the English club Manchester City since 2008. The sporting rivalry between the two Middle Eastern countries has always turned to the advantage the second, in the Champions League. The Cityzens eliminated the Parisians in the quarter-finals in 2016, before repeating this performance in the semi-finals last season. However, the two clubs have never yet won the queen competition. For Luis Fernandez, former PSG coach in the early 2000s, money is not everything.
"It's been quite a few years that Manchester City have invested. But that did not give the final victory in the Champions League. The financial means do not make the difference. We can have it, but we must avoid making a mistake. more possible. At PSG, coach Thomas Tuchel left after six months last season, then he won the Champions League with Chelsea and Thiago Silva, who was in Paris for 6, 7 years ", details the former coach at microphone of Europe 1. With Lionel Messi, quadruple winner of the European Cup, Qatar takes a big step in its crazy sporting ambition, and shines its showcase before the World Cup 2022. Will it be adorned with the beautiful European trophy ?