Rêvons Plus Grand: Lionel Messi and the Persian Gulf’s Scramble for Global Soft Power By Justin Wong (he/him) Most have not seen it coming. Lionel Messi, arguably the best footballer in the sport’s history and the glittering icon of Catalan giants Barcelona, left the only club he has played for to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France, signing a two-year contract in August. It was a dramatic turn of events in which Messi agreed to sign a new contract, but Barcelona was forced to pull the plug because of "financial and structural obstacles”, as the club is faces mounting debt. However, the transfer is a coup for PSG, as the club signed a player who has won 35 major trophies and the Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award in world football, for a record six times. For free. But, rather than being shocked by the news, one country will be jubilant that
PSG pulled off perhaps the highest-profile transfer in football’s history – Qatar. PSG is owned by Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), a subsidiary of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority that bought the Parisian club in late 2011. Since then, Doha has invested more than €1.6 billion into PSG, amassing superstars like Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, and transformed the Parisians into a formidable force in European football. It also managed to win the hosting rights for next year’s World Cup, making it the first Arab country to do so. It is all part of a project to reshape Qatar’s future and extend its influence across the world. In 2008, Doha launched the Qatar National Vision 2030 plan which “aims to transform Qatar into an advanced country” that is “capable of sustaining its own development” by 2030.
Above: PSG's home ground, Parc des Princes, in 2019. Image: Justin Wong 6
Part of the vision would see Qatar diversify its economy by gradually reducing its dependence on oil and gas exploitation, and shift towards a knowledge-based economy instead. “Future economic success will increasingly depend on the ability of the Qatari people to deal with a new international order that is knowledge-based and extremely competitive,” the plan said. Critics have accused Doha of ‘sportswashing’ – using sports to launder its international reputation, or using Human Rights Watch Director of Global Initiative Minky Worden’s words, “egregious human rights abusers using sports to scrub their awful human rights abuses.” Qatar’s human rights record has been a concern for several non-governmental organisations, with Human Rights Watch describing its policies as discriminatory against women and LGBTQ+ individuals.
