If only Cristiano Ronaldo had found his way to the desert, things wouldn’t be so bad now.
There have always been transfer offensives from countries and leagues outside of Europe. In order to boost the popularity of soccer in the USA, Franz Beckenbauer was already playing in New York in the 1970s. Japan, China, India and Qatar later followed suit.
None of these advances changed football in Europe in the long term. They went offside because the best footballers in their prime wanted to follow their dreams in England, Spain or Italy. Just as they had always imagined. To win the Champions League once, this longing united the Messis and Ronaldos of this world from a young age.
The new reality
But Saudi Arabia’s current attack is different. Never before has a country pursued its footballing goals with such determination. Financially, the kingdom is playing in a new league of its own with billions in oil and a pumped-up state fund, which obviously opens doors that previously remained closed to China and other non-European wooers.
If only Cristiano Ronaldo (38), who was on the home straight of his career, had been the first star to answer the call from the desert at the turn of the year – the media echo would have faded away sooner rather than later. With the commitments of Karim Benzema (35), Sadio Mané (31), Roberto Firmino (31) and most recently Neymar (31), Saudi Arabia has secured consistent PR – and actual footballing quality.
On a sporting level: Benzema scored 31 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season. The Frenchman is not a discontinued model. He is still undisputedly one of the best strikers in the world.
Al Nasser state FC Barcelona
Attracted by astronomical salaries, more than 30 well-known professionals have already turned their backs on Europe this year and have relocated to Saudi Arabia. Clubs like Liverpool, Barcelona or Chelsea are just a note in their CVs. The present for these footballers is called Al Ahli, Al Nassr or Ettifaq FC.
The latest developments in the transfer market are already shaking the foundations of world football. But if Kylian Mbappé or Erling Haaland, who are currently the best in their field, went into the desert, football in Europe would finally have a problem. In the case of Mbappé, Saudi Arabia was at least rebuffed with its first attempt.
2023-08-17 04:22:15
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