MSN
- Some star players who moved to Saudi Pro League clubs appear to be regretting their decisions.
- Jordan Henderson is leaving Saudi Arabia for Ajax, months after joining Al-Ettifaq; while the likes of Karim Benzema and Roberto Firmino could also depart, according to reports.
- There are several key reasons why these high-profile players are feeling unsettled and considering their futures.
The Saudi Pro League presented some top players with the opportunity of a huge payday and the chance to experience football on a different continent as a host of star names departed Europe to head to the Middle East in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first high-profile name to head to the league, joining Al-Nassr in January 2023.
Several massive players would then join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia in the following summer transfer window, with Premier League clubs and some of the leading names in European football losing players to the emerging division.
The biggest moves in the summer of 2023 saw Karim Benzema – the Ballon d’Or holder at the time – and ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar swap Europe for the Middle East. Benzema joined Al-Ittihad, while Neymar headed to Al-Hilal.
Liverpool trio Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, and Fabinho all left Anfield behind to take on a new challenge after lifting every trophy possible with the Merseyside giants. Other popular Premier League players also made the switch, with Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Riyad Mahrez moving to the Saudi Pro League, among others
Three players are being paid 1 million every week…
It initially looked a dream move due to the extraordinary financial incentives, but just six months on from the mass exodus of talent from European football and things haven’t quite gone to plan for some. Let’s take a closer look at some of the factors leading to these players being left feeling dissatisfied.
Saudi Pro League Player Statistics – 2023/24
Player
Club
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Cristiano Ronaldo
Al-Nassr
18
20
9
Karim Benzema
Al-Ittihad
15
9
5
Roberto Firmino
Al-Ahli
17
3
2
Jordan Henderson
Al-Ettifaq
17
0
4
Riyad Mahrez
Al-Ahli
19
8
7
Allan Saint-Maximin
Al-Ahli
18
3
8
Aleksandar Mitrovic
Al-Hilal
17
17
4
Ruben Neves
Al-Hilal
18
1
4
Neymar
Al-Hilal
3
0
3
Sadio Mane
Al-Nassr
18
8
4
Statistics vis Transfermarkt– Correct as of 17/01/2024
Poor attendances
Many games have seen less than 1,000 fans in stadiums
An example of the poor crowds showing up to watch some of the Saudi Pro League games in the 2023/24 season is when Henderson represented Al-Ettifaq in front of just 610 fans. The former Liverpool captain was used to playing in stadiums that would hold tens of thousands of fans and would be full every week. Premier League grounds are very rarely – if ever – seen with empty seats on matchday, but the Saudi league has seen many games with thousands of seats unclaimed.
It must be demoralising for these stars who have previously performed to large audiences and felt the buzz of an electric atmosphere at their old clubs. Benzema, for example, played for the biggest entity in world football – Real Madrid – for well over a decade and was adored and showered with affection inside the Santiago Bernabeu. The Real Madrid star is said to be frustrated with how his stint at Al-Ittihad has started, as he has reportedly gone AWOL from training…
