Giannis Antetokounmpo has long held a well-documented affinity for soccer, and perhaps he could translate his shot-blocking ability from the basketball floor to the pitch?
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar was again in a playful mood on social media Monday, indicating he’d love to suit up in goal given the level of talent that could be on its way to play in Saudi Arabia.
“I was just sitting on my couch scrolling through For you page,” Antetokounmpo tweeted. “Messi Ronaldo and Benzema. If you’re looking for a goalie next season, let me know.”
He’s referring to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, a trio of soccer legends who could be playing in Saudi Arabia next year. Benzema just received a reported three-year, $643 million contract to play for Al-Ittihad , and Ronaldo signed a lucrative deal with Al Nassr FC. With Messi also being rumored to make a similar jump, it would mean a wealth of soccer royalty relocating at once, even if they wouldn’t necessarily be teammates. How about a 7-footer in net?
It’s all in good fun of course, though Antetokounmpo will be 29 years old next season, one year younger than Michael Jordan was when he left basketball to pursue a baseball career with the Class AA Birmingham Barons.
Antetokounmpo and his brothers are investors in the Nashville C soccer squad in Major League Soccer, and Antetokounmpo made a trip to visit Paris Saint-Germain during the Bucks voyage to France in early 2020. Soccer has been part of his life since the beginning; his father, Charles, was himself a professional soccer player in Nigeria.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Giannis: ‘If you’re looking for a goalie next season, let me know.’
Source link: https://sports.yahoo.com/giannis-youre-looking-goalie-next-161531552.html?src=rss
