Beyond the money, Saudi Arabia needs those players in order for them to improve their world image. I think CNN made a special report on this. Apart from football, there are other sports the Saudis are targeting like the lawn tennis, golf etc. Just Google Saudi sportwashing and you will find something interesting.

Their main objective is to use the influence of those players to bid for 2030 world cup

They plan to win the bid to host it.

godwon01:
. No other reasons. Just to collect enough money to last them till the end of their life. Don't forget the fact that some of these players are in their twilight. They had spent their playing days in Europe and nothing to show off again. If they stay in Europe , they will be bench for the up coming stars.

So players like Neymar and Mane are spent? You're either a joker or a hater or both.

You said apart from the huge financial benefits... Abeg which other reason is better than the HUGE financial benefits

Money
Kudi
Ego
Owo

Victory03:
Arab money na ya mate?

tell them I beg🤑

No more playing for passion but for the money

They are just spoiling their football history career,,,
Because of Money

Look at Messi not footballers can reach his records even in 20years time,,

Obasempiree:
Of recent many Top football stars have made shocking transfers to Saudi Arabia, from the likes to Ronaldo, benzema and many more. Aside the huge financial benefits attached to contracts given to players by Saudi clubs, what could be other reasons players might be going to Saudi Arabia. ?

Every now and then, there is a league that starts splashing out money for players, and many players go there

Let's list the leagues

USA 1970'S...NASL. Lucrative contracts for players, TV deals, etc. By 1985, it had crashed.

UAE some 20 years ago...retired players went there for the extra cash. Now...no one goes there

China some 12 years ago....mega contracts. Since 2017, nothing.

Now it is the Saudis.

Now not all leagues mess up like that. The Japanese league when it became professional initally was doing what the Saudis were doing...but they were also developing home based players , and a plan to last the distance. Thus it survived...and still works.


The Saudis are trying to buy influence. It's ultimately part of the plan of MBS , the (uncrowned king) of Saudi.

denko:
They will be convert to Islam

Converter ni!
Mumuboy!

Obasempiree:
Of recent many Top football stars have made shocking transfers to Saudi Arabia, from the likes to Ronaldo, benzema and many more. Aside the huge financial benefits attached to contracts given to players by Saudi clubs, what could be other reasons players might be going to Saudi Arabia. ?

That's how EPL got it

Europe is broke. War in Ukraine is dwindling their resources. I think Saudi is leveraging on that to cut something big for their football

jamexe:
Pre retirement plan

This one say na Pre-retirement plan. Wetin be Pre-retirement plan? Oga na Retirement plan jor

OP, No other reasons than what you just stated na.

mayor1814:
Money.

How many player younger than 27 do u see going there to play?

Young superstars like Bellingham, Saka, Musiala, Enzo etc will never go to such a league.

dey there dey deceive yourself

To retire well

Well, for your new and UK used smart tv sets and soundbars, check my signature.

Tripleoluwa:
Europe is broke. War in Ukraine is dwindling their resources. I think Saudi is leveraging on that to cut something big for their football

Very senseless comment. What has this got to do with footballers moving g to Saudi? Them tell you say money don finish for European clubs because of war? Think am well and tell me you don’t feel like slapping that your bald head for writing this nonsense. Lazy youth

See moni ooo see moniiiii

Kenmatt:
It's Ronaldo that is influencing them to come and join him so that is will not seem as if he has gone to a League where nothing is happening.

Years back, he boasted that Players of his age are all heading to China and USA, but he is being sought after in Europe.

Now that his ball is up, he is indirectly wishing them to join him, he wanted to play that mind game with Lionel Messi, when he initiated the PSG vs Arab all Stars but Messi got the message and later went to USA instead.

Messi is smart.
He knows that ronaldo is no longer in his level thats why he didn't go to Saudi.
Na Ronaldo suppose follow Messi, not the other way round.
Neymar obviously went because of the money. €1.5m every week na your mate?
Mbappe would have gone there but he wants to win UCL with Madrid first

Because of cristiano he's the pacesetter.

Money is powerful....no other reason

nairalanda1:


Every now and then, there is a league that starts splashing out money for players, and many players go there

Let's list the leagues

USA 1970'S...NASL. Lucrative contracts for players, TV deals, etc. By 1985, it had crashed.

UAE some 20 years ago...retired players went there for the extra cash. Now...no one goes there

China some 12 years ago....mega contracts. Since 2017, nothing.

Now it is the Saudis.

Now not all leagues mess up like that. The Japanese league when it became professional initally was doing what the Saudis were doing...but they were also developing home based players , and a plan to last the distance. Thus it survived...and still works.


The Saudis are trying to buy influence. It's ultimately part of the plan of MBS , the (uncrowned king) of Saudi.

not even the Chinese league spent like this. The Saudis have the money and are being backed by the leaders, so I see them surviving. This is just a season and they have bought many top qualities from Europe(I know people will say they are old and pass their prime bla bla). Give them 2 to 3years and if something isn't done to control their signings, they will sign many more, even young players will troup their. England too spend a lot of money on players and nobody is screaming that they are damaging football so why should their be uproar over Saudi now. Let me go back to the place where I mentioned top quality, the likes of neves, savic, firmiho, merez, neymar, kante and many more will still enter many top teams starting lineup in Europe.

Uchesis:

Messi is smart.
He knows that ronaldo is no longer in his level thats why he didn't go to Saudi.
Na Ronaldo suppose follow Messi, not the other way round.
Neymar obviously went because of the money. €1.5m every week na your mate?
Mbappe would have gone there but he wants to win UCL with Madrid first

Messi is smart and Ronaldo is dull abi. Ronaldo is making is money in Saudi, Messi too is making is own money. They both took what favoured them and no one is smarter. Even the Messi self is no longer at the level he use to be if not he won't be in mls.

grandstar:
Apart from the good pay. majority of Saudi's are actually passionate about the game unlike Americans. I won't be surprised if 8 out of 10 Americans asked randomly to name 3 local clubs can do so.

This anyway may not adequately explain why because there's also the Chinese league where people are also passionate about the game.

It mostly boils down to money when we shift the wheat from the shaft. If it wasn't, Ronaldo would have spent 2 years playing for Nasarawa United

Americans are not that I to football as much because they have other sports they watch like basketball and baseball

amnesty7:

So players like Neymar and Mane are spent? You're either a joker or a hater or both.

. I am not . I know what I am saying. If big money is not attached they will not go to Saudi. Nurses and other professionals going there were going because of money. After the expiration of the contract , some of them don't bother to renew the contract , they returned straight to their base. I know what I was saying. Saudi Arabia environment is not conducive environment for the westerners. Simply , people migrate there because of money. I am an international man , I know what I am saying ok.

For all season long Hajj 😜

It would was also create jobs to individuals

why are your country men running away to Europe?

tuzle:
Messi is smart and Ronaldo is dull abi. Ronaldo is making is money in Saudi, Messi too is making is own money. They both took what favoured them and no one is smarter. Even the Messi self is no longer at the level he use to be if not he won't be in mls.

Bro calm down.
What i mean is that Messi doesn't want people to think that he went to Saudi because of Ronaldo, because that is what cr7 fans will say

The Saudi league will still fall like the Chinese league did. Remember when every tom dick and harry was going to China

Obasempiree:
Of recent many Top football stars have made shocking transfers to Saudi Arabia, from the likes to Ronaldo, benzema and many more. Aside the huge financial benefits attached to contracts given to players by Saudi clubs, what could be other reasons players might be going to Saudi Arabia. ?

Every football player is loyal to his paycheck.
That's the ONLY koko motivation.
Winning Trophies nah jara.