The claim that football has no importance to the Saudis and is just ‘fighting sports’ is a categorical lie. It is one of the biggest passions of the Middle Eastern country. It’s everywhere. Turning on the television in a hotel you can find almost a dozen sports channels; at least five of them are for match broadcasting. Both international leagues and domestic leagues, which are by no means just a series of empty stadiums. On the other hand. That’s why Saudi Arabia demands performance from stars like Benzema. They don’t want to be a golden cage or a temporary project like Qatar or China; They want to win.
Benzema is going through a difficult time Al-Ittihad. His performance came under harsh criticism and he was unable to appear on stage when his team played in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) when the Asian Cup was being held. According to ‘Marca’, the Frenchman’s argument is as follows: He was stranded on the island of Mauritius.Where I was on vacation due to the hurricane. Al-Ittihad’s Argentinian coach Marcelo Gallardo excluded him from the squad.
Al-Ittihad’s failure in the Club World Cup
This isn’t the first such episode featuring the former Real Madrid striker. It would be learned days later that he had set out from Saudi Arabia for the Spanish capital at the beginning of the year. He asked for three days leave. Al-Ittihad was then forced to hold a public debate The ‘disappearance’ of a player who decided to close his Instagram account After the tough defeat against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr (2-5) at the end of 2023.
To this we must add the poor performance of the Jeddah team in the last Club World Cup hosted by the coastal city. Benzema could only make up for the victory against Egyptian Al-Ahly in extra timeThe most successful team in Africa. Al-Ittihad entered the tournament as the champion of the Saudi Arabian league. I mean, because you’re a homeowner.
When scenarios such as the Saudi team participating in a hypothetical Super League were imagined, it was an opportunity to prove the country’s football right. Arabia is progressing rapidly both socially and sportingly. He wants to establish a league among the world’s ‘top 10’; It’s a passion passed on by those who know the ins and outs of the league. Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Saudi Pro League.
Saudi investment will continue in the signings
This is the case of Abdulaziz Al Rabah, who has been editor-in-chief of Sports on Al Arabiya, the most prominent Arabic-language channel, for a decade. “After the market where big transfers came, the first round of the League championship was exciting. “It is true that Al-Hilal (Neymar’s team and the most successful team in the country) is an outstanding leader and the title race will be with Al-Nassr, but all kinds of results have been achieved with the following teams,” The journalist predicted an upcoming “magnificent and huge” summer predicting the market explains to this newspaper.
Rather than the messages given in Europe that the Saudi Arabian project is temporary, they once again confirm that they will continue to increase the competitiveness of the league in the country that robbed the bank a few months ago. Although not without losing your mind and even demanding results. The Saudi Professional League has approved increasing the foreign player quotas from eight to ten for the 2024/2025 season.
It is true that the government’s intention is for private investors to take over from the Public Investment Fund. Gained control of the majority of the country’s four main clubs: Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli. The public body also owned Newcastle. The management of the premier team shows that the football culture is different from that of American owners such as Todd Boehly.
Are foreign football players incompatible?
Although Chelsea were an example of waste, the backbone of the ‘magpies’ remained. Last season, Newcastle qualified for the Champions League after two decades, but are currently experiencing one of their worst moments. This will challenge the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman, the ‘de facto’ owner of the club, will make a move. But with the philosophy of always demanding immediate performance if possible.
For this reason, both Al-Ittihad fans and owners are not very happy with Benzema. Despite the transfers of the French striker Luiz Felipe, Fabinho or KantéThe Jeddah club has the second most league titles (nine like Al-Nassr) and sits in seventh place with 25 points, behind leaders Al-Hilal. It turned the tables for the former Real Madrid striker, who went from dreaming of a golden retirement to feeling the pressure of a developing league demanding quick results.
Recently, it has been rumored that some stars such as Henderson and Firmino are considering ending their contracts in Saudi Arabia early. There are all kinds of reasons: Heat, humidity, lack of motivation, player change, different style…
When they live in remote villages where they literally have everything: private schools for their children, shopping malls, and they almost live a life in a bubble in their own environment, like in Europe. We must add to this that the facilities of most clubs are first class. Even though 95% of the country is desert, artificial turf is not even an option.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the exemplary player that Arabia wants
But the real cultural shock is the football itself they encounter. Although everyone tries to make the league an attractive scenario, each club is a world with a philosophy. (all of the league’s strategic positions are foreigners). But above all, the feeling of not fitting in is the feeling of winning, which is something all teams and fans want. Not everyone can get there.
Going back is not that easy because the players are in a contract maze. They would have to stay for another two years to take advantage of the tax benefits their contracts offered. Otherwise, in Henderson’s case, According to the media in his country, a debt of 8 million may be placed on the British treasury. A meaningless promise combined with the obligation to respond to sporting obligations that someone seems to have forgotten.
“They follow their local league a lot, especially the four big teams: Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli. There are also a lot of fans on the field. All the bars have them. Eastern Flames FC in the Saudi women’s league has Spanish “The signings have filled the fields even more,” adds coach David Cabildo. It is the definition of the culture of effort that Saudi Arabia demands from its players. Cristiano Ronaldo, the best ambassador of the championship, unlike Benzema, knew how to communicate. The Frenchman would find a spiritual refuge in Riyadh, and it became Madrid.