Cristiano Ronaldo at the presentation of his new club Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia (Imago / Stringer)
Opening the new season, Michael Emenalo said the league wants all the top players in the world and in a few short years that will be the case. The Saudi league will be a league only for “extraordinary players”. According to a report by the British Guardian, the former technical director of Chelsea FC announced further transfers for this summer. Numerous superstars have already joined Saudi clubs in the current transfer window. After the Portuguese Christiano Ronaldo switched to golf at the beginning of the year, Sadio Mané from Bayern Munich, Karim Benzema from Real Madrid and Roberto Firmino from FC Liverpool have now joined the team.
Emenalo explained that the league’s long-term goal is to become sustainable so that clubs can be financially self-sufficient. They are currently being supported by the Saudi state with billions of dollars. The former Nigeria international called the allegations “outrageous” and that Saudi Arabia wanted to improve its reputation through sporting commitment.
Saudi Arabia has come under international criticism for human rights violations. These include the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018, as well as mass executions and the imprisonment of opponents of the regime.
In addition to football, the country also invests in other sports. After months of disputes, the US, Saudi and European golf tours announced that they would form a joint entity. It is now being financed by the Saudi state fund. The Dakar Rally has been taking place in the desert of Saudi Arabia for years and Saudi Arabia wants to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029 – on artificial snow.
This message was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on August 13, 2023.
2023-08-13 10:25:56
#Football #Saudi #league #top #players #world
