When someone says “footballing nation”, the first countries that spring to mind will no doubt be the likes of Brazil, Argentina, England and Germany; pioneers and dominant powers on the international and regional stage, with homegrown players and powerful, respected leagues. However there is another country which is trying to get onto this list and not one many would expect: Saudi Arabia.

Since the groundbreaking news of Cristiano Ronaldo moving to the Saudi club Al-Nasser in early 2023 for over £175 million a year, many other players have followed in his wake; huge names such as Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema and Neymar Jr have left the esteemed European stage for the Middle East, which routinely manages to outbid the top Western clubs for the best players. The intention, according to Saudi Pro League officials, is to build a league which can rival those over in England and Spain. Money is, obviously, also a huge factor, with Saudi football’s viewership more than trebling within 2023 thanks to new fans coming in alongside their sportsman heroes, which in turn paves the way for lucrative sponsorship deals from the likes of Nike and Adidas.

However, there is a more sinister side to the argument – many see the investments the Saudi clubs are throwing out to every player they can as the beginning of the end, with football losing the last of its spirit. What once was a game of skill and management has become a bidding war, where the richest owners can just buy the best players and reap the rewards. It seems that football has become less a game of skill and athleticism and more a worldwide auction.

It isn’t just players either; the Saudi Arabian royal family swept in last year to buy Newcastle FC, adding to the list of Middle Eastern owned clubs in the Premier League, alongside the likes of Aston Villa and reigning champions Manchester City. Early last year, there was controversy over the possible acquisition of Manchester United by Qatari owners, and though the deal fell through, the overwhelmingly negative reaction from the fans proves the point that Middle Eastern owners are seen to be sucking the life out of the game – their input is unwanted by the supporters.

Plus, these exorbitant moves do not always benefit the players; sometimes they can lead to the decline and even end of careers. Jordan Henderson, former Liverpudlian captain and once regular England starter, disgraced himself by transferring to Al-Ettifaq with an overwhelming amount of people pointing out that a move to Saudi Arabia, a country known for stringent social policies and questionable upkeep of human rights, somewhat undermined his work with many LGBTQ+ charities. Henderson may deny it, but it does seem as though he’s sold away his support for £700k a week. Though he has since made the move back to Europe, joining Eredivise side Ajax, the impact on his career is clear and the move led to his omission from England’s Euro 2024 team.

At the forefront of the debates is Cristiano Ronaldo, the man the Saudi Arabian FA brought in as a poster boy for the league. Making the transcontinental move that earnt him monumental wealth, even by today’s soccer standards, he has had a great start to his Middle Eastern career, netting the highest number of goals the league had ever seen in a single season, yet the lack of competition in the Saudi Pro League means that the once best striker on Earth wasn’t featured in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, for the first time since 2004. Thanks to its reputation as a “farmer’s league”, where players can pad out their stats while earning more money than most can dream of, any achievement Ronaldo gains in the SPL will be met with scepticism – is it really an accolade, or just a way to boost the player’s ego?

It’s clear that the Saudi League is going to be big – having recently moved away from simply buying the old stars and stocking up on young talents that have the potential to keep playing for another decade, such as Gabri Veiga, the teams have ensured that their sides will stay fresh for years to come. There may be downsides, for players and their clubs alike; however, the investment and support for football across the globe is indicative of one certain thing: the Beautiful Game is here to stay. 

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