Messi’s transfer to PSG exposed another faultline between Qatar and the UAE

The world of football was abuzz this week when news emerged that the former FC Barcelona star, Lionel Messi was leaving the club. He spent 21 years of his professional career at the club. Messi joined Barcelona in 2000 at the age of 13, famously signing his first contract on a serviette. Since joining the club, he has scored an impressive 672 goals. His achievement at FC Barcelona has some already referring to him “as the greatest player of all times”. An emotional Messi sobbed during a press conference announcing his departure from the club. Late Thursday Paris St. Germain (PSG), a Paris based club owned by Qatar, confirmed that it has signed a two years contract with the superstar. Hundreds of his supporters camped outside the airport in Paris waiting to catch a glimpse of Messi when he arrives.

The acquisition of Messi by PSG will certainly impact on the viability and status of the club. The transfer of Messi to PSG is certainly a huge scoop for the club and also for brand Qatar. Moreover, as stadiums and life in general begin to get back to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic, PSG will likely capitalize and monetize on the signing of Messi in its squad. Furthermore, PSG a club that was little known couple of years ago will add to its status and admiration globally.

However, behind what seem to be a normal sporting business transaction. Therein exists a competition for an upper hand on soft power politics using sport. Competition between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) extends beyond normal spheres of politics. It was clearly demonstrated this time around as both countries scrambled to sign Messi in their respective football teams. First, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan from the UAE owns Manchester City, which presented a very strong bid for a contract with Messi. PSG is owned by Qatar and its President, Nasser al Khelaifi is also the chairperson of beIN Sport, one of the biggest sports channels in the world. It was the smart use of media, including leaks to journalists about what was going in the negotiations that finally won the day for PSG. Competition between the two rich Gulf states was also visible in 2016 when Qatar Airways sponsorship was dropped by FC Barcelona. Following that some players from FC Barcelona moved to PSG in what most translated as some sort of retaliation by Qatar. Qatar offered these players “offers they couldn’t refuse”, it was argued at the time. Amongst those who left FC Barcelona were Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar da Silva Santos. Last, when the Emirates Airlines withdrew its sponsorship of FIFA World Cup Championship, it was replaced by Qatar Airways. The withdrawal by the Emirates Airlines happened after Qatar was awarded the rights to host 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Besides those obvious examples of aggressive competition between Qatar and the UAE, there has also been some nefarious campaign directed at sport broadcast and business owned by Qatar. Al Jazeera Sport now beIN Sport had its broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup interrupted in what was regarded as a “deliberate act of sabotage”. Al Jazeera Sport’s Chairperson Nasser Khaleifi went on an offensive threatening those responsible for the sabotage with lawsuit. Although the culprits were never mentioned, most fingers pointed to some of Qatar’s foes and competitors in the region. The disruption of the broadcast was meant to trigger some sort of backlash against Al Jazeera Sport and by association Qatar. At the time FIFA said “it was appalled by any actions to try to stop Al Jazeera’s authorised transmissions of the Fifa World Cup as such actions deprive football fans from enjoying the world game in the region”. Al Jazeera Sport’s success in broadcasting live sporting events in the region had a positive impact on brand Qatar. Eventually Al Jazeera Sport decided to rebrand to beIN Sport and moved some of its infrastructure to Europe. The rationale behind rebranding was that Al Jazeera Sport suffered sabotage because of its affiliation to Al Jazeera Media Network. Qatar continues to be loathed by its detractors in the region not only for its continual news coverage of events in the region through Al Jazeera Media Network, but also for keeping the masses outside politics entertained.

It was however the awarding of the FIFA World Cup tournament to Qatar in 2022 which upped the ante of detest against Qatar by its foes and competitors in the region. Notwithstanding sustained attempts to discredit the awarding process which eventually led to the expulsion of FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. The country appears ready to host the tournament in 2022. Hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup puts Qatar’s soft power capabilities above the rest in the region, including the UAE which sponsored a number of events including Formula One. The acquisition of Messi will indirectly add another accolade to brand Qatar and will extend name recognition of the tiny rich Gulf state.