Seeing some of Europe’s best players sign in Saudi Arabia is a big talk. An English football legend has delivered his verdict, admitting to understanding Cristiano Ronaldo, and much less those who leave while still at the top.
It is the new Eldorado for European footballers. The Saudi championship, which until now has passed completely in silence, has changed in dimension in recent months. The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo changed the cards and showed that Saudi clubs were able to attract very good players. And not just stars on the verge of retirement. Because without offending the Portuguese, he was still pushed towards the exit at Manchester United, and no longer necessarily interested major European clubs. His departure for Saudi Arabia to experience a golden pre-retirement makes sense for former Manchester United legend Paul Ince. Quite the opposite of those who have followed in his footsteps and are still at a reasonable age which could allow them to play at the highest level such as Ruben Neves, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté or Kalidou Koulibaly.
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” Some of these movements, I understand them. And some don’t. When you talk about Ronaldo going to Saudi Arabia, I get it. He is coming to the end of his career, he is going there for the money. For Ruben Neves for example, I don’t understand. He’s at his prime, it’s sad to see. I understand that football is changing, and that money rules everything, but what I wanted was to win prestigious titles and play in the Champions League. We would tend to think that these players still want that. Sounds like China was doing 6-7 years ago when Oscar or Hulk signed. And you watch the Chinese championship now? I don’t know if Saudi Arabia is going to be just a phase because they have so much money. I find it sad but I also understand the players, if someone offers you 20 million euros to play a season, sometimes it’s hard to say no, no matter how old you are “Explained the former midfielder, for whom Saudi Arabia would be wrong to deprive itself of attracting major players, and the latter would also be wrong to deprive themselves of such a return of money. Even if European football is inevitably weakened with important departures like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté or Riyad Mahrez. Players who were still indisputable starters in major European teams this season.
