Football star Messi visits UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah, explores Boulevard Riyadh City

Messi, his wife Antonella and their kids Mateo and Ciro at Diriyah. (Supplied)
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Updated 03 May 2023
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Football star Messi visits UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah, explores Boulevard Riyadh City

DUBAI: Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi and his family this week visited At-Turaif, the 300-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah, during their trip to Saudi Arabia and also explored some of Riyadh’s more futuristic attractions.

At-Turaif is a historic city on the outskirts of Riyadh that dates back to the 15th century.

The Paris Saint-Germain footballer, who landed in the Kingdom earlier this week, went on a guided tour in Diriyah and enjoyed a dining experience at Al-Bujairi Terrace.




Messi and his family enjoy their time at VIA Riyadh, the Saudi capital’s new luxury destination. (Supplied)

The jam-packed itinerary gave Messi and his family quality time together to visit VIA Riyadh, the Saudi capital’s new luxury destination, and Boulevard Riyadh City, experiencing two of the city’s ultra-modern entertainment and retail districts.




Messi and his family interacting with purebred Arabian horses in Saudi. (Supplied)

The family also went to the Arabian Horse Museum and interacted with purebred Arabian horses while Messi posed for pictures holding a white falcon on his arm.




Messi with the white falcon in Diriyah. (Supplied)

During the visit, Messi’s wife Antonella Roccuzzo wore a traditional Saudi hama – a decorative headpiece historically worn by women from the Kingdom’s Najdi region.




Antonella Roccuzzo in Diriyah wearing a traditional Saudi hama. (Supplied)

Before the visit to Diriyah, Messi’s family also enjoyed an authentic Saudi farm experience away from the buzz of the city and took in a palm weaving demonstration.

Earlier this week, Messi posted a shot of the Kingdom’s date palm groves, with a caption saying: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? I love to explore its unexpected wonders whenever I can.” 




Messi at a Saudi farm feeding the Arabian Gazelle. (Supplied)

On their first day, they also fed Arabian gazelles that were close to extinction but are now part of a rewilding and preservation program that has seen the population grow. Earlier this year 650 Arabian gazelles and 550 sand gazelles were released into the 12,400 square kilometers of the AlUla reserve also famous for reintroducing the Arabian Leopard into the wild.




Leo Messi and wife Antonella and kids Mateo and Ciro play arcade games at Boulevard Riyadh City. (Supplied)

Messi, considered one of the legends of the sport, won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar last year. He has a large international fanbase with hundreds of millions of followers on social media.

The Argentine is an ambassador with Visit Saudi, the tourism ministry’s promotional brand.

The ministry is tasked with showcasing Saudi Arabia’s natural and cultural treasures to international and domestic tourists as part of reforms known as Saudi Vision 2030.


Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

Updated 21 January 2026
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Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

DUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan presented their Fall/Winter 2026–2027 collection at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, continuing the rapid rise of their KML label.

The duo has gained international recognition since launching the brand in 2022, most recently being named semifinalists for the LVMH Prize — a prestigious annual award for emerging designers.

Creative director Ahmed’s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring mean KML — owned by his sister, Razan — has built its identity around reimagining traditional Saudi garments through a contemporary lens. Jackets are paired with shawl-like elements, large leather belts recall those historically worn by Bedouin men, and skirts nod to silhouettes once worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and the Hijaz.

The collection leans on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions. (Getty Images)

The approach is reflected in the new collection, which features a restrained palette of black, white and muted earth tones, leaning on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions.

Flowing skirts, structured wrap tops and robe-like coats dominate the lineup, with some looks referencing classical draping while others lean toward utilitarian dressing, defined by sharp shoulders, cinched waists and clean, architectural lines.

In a previous interview with Arab News, Ahmed said their grandmother was a huge influence on their lives as he and his sister grew up in Riyadh. He fondly recalled both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. The experience left an impression, though fashion was not an obvious initial career path.

Ahmed studied architecture and became an intern at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice full-time.

“One summer, we both realized we weren’t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,” Razan explained.

That was the catalyst for KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection and towards the end of that year they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. The Fashion Commission recognized their potential, helping KML launch collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.