Saudi Arabia and the power of unlimited money shaking football

“This is just the beginning. In the following text, all transfer footballers will be targeted by saudi clubs. We have a national project and it will not be limited to the four big teams, but to everyone. Saudi passion for football knows no bounds.” Hafez Al-Medlej, the head of the marketing committee of the Asian Football Confederation, is already warning the major leagues and competitions. And the one who warns is not a traitor.

The enormous financial capacity of the four main clubs — Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Nassr— supported by the Saudi government. The Public Investment Fund has a 75 percent stake in each team. “The transfer will trigger several business opportunities,” the press release explains. Last January, the fund received 570,000 million euros. «money is unlimited. They pay players four, five or six times more than they would in Europe. “Since they have the money, they want to do it and above all they want to show it, they sign quickly,” he says. Raul Caneda, Former coach of Al Ittihad and Al Nassr.

“There are no restrictions. I always said I think this is going to be like a bubble bursting. The four biggest clubs that can fight for the top are from the Government. What kind of competition will there be?, he wonders Miguel Alvarez, who trained at clubs such as Al Fateh, Al Ettifaq and Al Nassr.

«If the team wants the right player, they will give him what he wants, within something logical. The question of the house and the car was not negotiated, and now they have a private plane that they can use whenever they want,” explains the man from Ourense.

Christian collect 200 million, Benzema 100 i Ruben Neves, In case of going to Al Hilal, he would get 12 million, three times more than what he earns in wolves. In addition to the large sums of money that the stars receive, players receive bonuses and gifts. “Sometimes, because of the bonus, I earned more in one month than in the whole year. Big teams can pay you between 9,000 and almost 14,000 euros, or even 28,000 if it’s a derby. If you lose a game, the president goes down to the dressing room and offers you double or triple the money,” says Álvarez.

Although everything is to the taste of football players, sports demand is also appreciated. “It is a great addition to Saudi football compared to the leagues that will be withdrawn. If you don’t give up, whatever your name is, you won’t last long. I’ve had players go three months after paying for important transfers. The more they pay you, the more they will ask for,” says Caneda.

Image strategy

“They took Paris Dakar, They organize concerts of artists such as lady gaga, They promote women’s football and now they have signed contracts… These are gestures and intentions to improve the political pressure they had for human rights. With people at the level of Cristiano, the whole world is watching them 24 hours a day“, explains Alvarez.

He says that when he started working there In 2013, only four foreigners could be in the team, and one had to be Asian. “Now there are between seven and eight of them, and most clubs have a full quota.. Although everyone can play in the league, only four will be able to participate in the Champions League,” he says. Saudi Arabia is planning to start a reserve league for the under-23 teams of 18 first-division clubs and thus give playing time to local footballers who do not play and who do not lower their level.

A tide of football players will leave the Old Continent and head for the East. «The Saudi League is changing the world of football. In a few years, they will become among the three or four best in the world», comments Caneda. These movements make Europe a premonition of the worst. The petrodollars have arrived.

“The dynamic has never been signing veteran players, Cristiano is half the attraction”

Saudi Arabia proposed a head-to-head competition with Europe. It is an unreal picture that it is a league that football players have chosen for their retirement. “The dynamic of Saudi football has never been to take veterans. Because they want to jump, they have attracted attention so that people want to go. It is a pillar of attraction with footballers like Cristiano and Benzema. Everyone will consider it feasible to go to the league there. You can already see ongoing contracts. They take players like Rúben Neves away from Barcelona, ​​or Bernardo Silva, which is the goal of the whole world”, comments Caneda.

«They were always looking for players who would raise the level of the league and make it more competitiveas well as being an example and help to the local football player. They never had athletes over 33 years old. The signing of Cristiano is a separate topic because, since he arrived, the country is on everyone’s lips, generating revenue and causing more players to join, adds Álvarez. The man from Ourense points out that the Arab soccer player is increasingly competitive and that the league is very strong: «It has never been a country of retirees. Cristiano went a few days without scoring, I think he thought the level would be lower. Today it is the best Asian league, it is certainly much better than some European ones, but in general it does not reach the level of Spain. However, there are teams that could compete perfectly.

The one who coached Al Fateh or Al Nassr among others does not forget Women’s football. He explains that a couple of years ago they started playing in Arabia, where they also already have a national team. “They are growing and that’s why they are in contact with various associations to train coaches and clubs,” he concludes.