Tyler Stearns |
Did Yusuf En-Nesyri directly start the migration of soccer stars from Europe to Saudi Arabia? Not really. But he did affect it. His goal against Portugal in the 2022 World Cup which sent Cristiano Ronaldo out of the tournament led the Manchester United star to weigh his options. The season before he scored 26 goals and carried a mediocre United side. However, under new management in Erik Ten Hag, he was seeing the field less and less. The gaffer preferred a striker who was willing to press the defense. So after losing in the World Cup, the only trophy he has not won, he decided to join the Saudi Pro League. The deal was not without incentive, though. Ronaldo is making 100s of millions of dollars per year in the Middle East.
This move sent shockwaves around the footballing world. No one had heard of the league before Ronaldo signed there. After he went in the winter, the following summer transfer window saw a huge amount of stars head to Saudi. Neymar Jr., Karim Benzema, Mario Brozovic, N’Golo Kante, Almyeric Laporte, Riyadh Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Bounou, and others made their way to the new league. Their salaries were doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. Not only were older players attracted, but the league brought in young talents like Gabi Vega and Allan Saint-Maximin, both in their mid-20s who showed promise at their previous clubs.
Since last summer, not too many major additions have been made to the league. The three main stars in the SPL are Benzema, Ronaldo, and Neymar (who has been injured for the majority of his Al Hilal career). Otherwise, there are no other household names. The league made a desperate attempt to sign Kylian Mbappe, arguably the world’s greatest player, last summer. They offered the French star $700 million for one season and would let him go to Real Madrid in 2024-25. Mbappe declined because he wanted to remain in a top-five league, compete for a UCL, and maintain his image as a star in one of Europe’s top clubs. His move to Madrid was inevitable, however, so a short move to the SPL wouldn’t have affected him too much, but he made his decision nonetheless. They also offered Lionel Messi, the greatest player of all time, over one billion dollars for a three-year deal. The Argentinian declined and infamously made his move over to Miami. The financial decision was a move for the long term, as he has a stake in the sales of merchandise from the MLS. He also can purchase a new MLS team for much cheaper than the assumed price, a deal similar to that of David Beckham.
So some players have moved to Saudi Arabia and others haven’t. But what would be the appeal of even doing so? Money is the first option. Though these players are players and likely do love football as a sport, if allowed to provide their families with generational wealth, they are likely to take it. The league is also much easier with less talent dispersed throughout each team, so the competition is low and players can have more fun playing.
Seems great, right? Well, not for some. Jordan Henderson moved from Liverpool to the SPL last summer. After just half a season, the Englishman wanted out. He made a move to Ajax where he is now. Saint-Maximin left Al Ahli and is now at Fenerbahce after one season in Saudi. There are even rumors that Benzema, Kante, and Neymar want out.
The wealth associated with the league is certainly appealing. The SPL is headed on the right track and will likely rival the likes of Ligue One and the Eredivisie in the coming years. With the amount of money at the disposal of these big SPL clubs, there is no limit to the potential of the league. But it is not the most player-friendly and will need to find ways to amend that. So is it a problem? No. In fact, for many European teams, it is a blessing. Chelsea made over $100 million in player sales last summer just to the SPL. Other teams have sent their aging players to the league to make room for new, young talents. Those players have and will thrive in the SPL and revive their confidence. And luckily for them too, there isn’t much of a drop-off in international play. N’Golo Kante was arguably the best midfielder at the Euros. Laporte was one of the better defenders too. So joining the league means more money, playing time, and the ability to still compete at a top international level.
Yes, for football fans, it isn’t great that young players like Moussa Diaby are moving to the SPL, especially considering their potential to succeed in Europe. But if worse comes to worse, we see a new country flourish in the international ranks and add the possibility of increased competition in the UCL and even the World Cup.
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