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The transfer window for the Saudi Arabian league has officially closed. Speaking about the sudden rise of the Saudi Arabian league, I have a few thoughts to share. My opinion has always been that money alone cannot create a football powerhouse. However, the rapid ascent of the Saudi Arabian league has exceeded the expectations of many, including myself. The Saudi Arabian league may not be just for show.
When discussing the rise of the Saudi Arabian league, it's impossible not to draw parallels with the Chinese Super League, which also used high salaries to attract players to China. However, due to subsequent investment and management issues, the Chinese Super League eventually didn't see as many stars coming in. So, when we see the rise of the Saudi Arabian league, it's natural to compare it to the Chinese Super League and anticipate a similar outcome.
As for whether the Saudi Arabian league will ultimately have the same fate as the Chinese Super League, that's a topic we should temporarily set aside, as it's hard to predict. I'll share my viewpoint later. Initially, the reason Saudi Arabia wanted to develop their football league was because they saw how Qatar, also from the Middle East, gained attention and influence through the World Cup. Saudi Arabia was envious and wanted to follow suit. However, the World Cup cannot be held in the same region consecutively, and the standard of the Middle East World Cup isn't very high. So, in the short term, Saudi Arabia doesn't have the possibility of hosting the World Cup. In such a situation, if they wanted to enhance their influence similarly to Qatar through the World Cup, they would have to create their own World Cup.
As for their approach, I won't dwell on it too much. They've attracted well-known but aging players to the Saudi Arabian league by offering high salaries, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, and others. Despite these players' declining performance on the field, Saudi Arabia is more interested in their off-field influence, which the new and mid-generation players cannot match. This was Saudi Arabia's original goal. The one who fired the first shot by joining the Saudi Arabian league was Cristiano Ronaldo. At the time, everyone, including me, wondered why Cristiano Ronaldo would join the Saudi Arabian league, but now it seems that he made the right move.
Lastly, let's discuss whether the Saudi Arabian league will ultimately succeed. First, I believe it's unrealistic for the Saudi Arabian league to maintain its current level of attention in the long term. After all, offering high salaries is not a sustainable practice. If the league's revenue-generating capacity doesn't improve accordingly, it won't be long before the Saudi Arabian league returns to its previous state. However, I also think the definition of success varies from person to person. I believe the Saudi Arabian league probably didn't set out to sustain long-term operations. They may be content with maintaining influence and visibility within five years. So, I expect the Saudi Arabian league to continue investing in well-known but aging players in the next five years, and we will likely see more transfers to the league next year.
The rise of the Saudi Arabian league creates a new football powerhouse, but this powerhouse is unlikely to exist for long. European football will likely face challenges in the coming years because of the salary threat posed by Saudi Arabia, something Europe cannot compete with. The transfer personnel responsible for these deals will probably have a tough time in the next few years. Of course, for those who only want to see exciting football, like myself, it's unfortunate that elite players are no longer playing in Europe. However, I believe the foundation of football will remain in Europe, as the infrastructure is solid, and Saudi Arabia cannot easily replace Europe's status in football solely by throwing money at it. |
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Post time 10-9-2023 10:27:52