A celebrity has already left the country. And a world star is very unhappy at his new job.
The confusion is over for now: Karim Benzema is staying with al-Ittihad.
Yasser Bakhsh / Getty
Within just a few years, the Saudi Pro League has acquired a very special reputation. It is considered the El Dorado of professional football. If you can play football at a high level, you don’t even need a spade to strike gold – you’ll definitely earn significantly more money than anywhere else, even if your best years are behind you. Ivan Rakitic recently joined the Pro League. After thirteen years in Spain with FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC, he moved to al-Shabab.
A year before him, Cristiano Ronaldo went to the peninsula, and in his role as a pioneer he is perhaps the most effective public relations officer among Saudi football strategists. The Brazilian Neymar and the Frenchman Karim Benzema also came, but also Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea FC with his club colleagues N’Golo Kanté and Édouard Mendy; as well as cult figures such as former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
Benzema is unmotivated and complains about a lot of pressure
However, the story of the golden future of Saudi football is beginning to have its first scratches. Dissatisfaction is spreading among some of the protagonists. It was recently said that Karim Benzema wanted to leave the kingdom, which he promptly denied. However, it is certain that he does not feel particularly comfortable at his place of work, al-Ittihad; his employer is said to have even given him the option of moving within the league.
There can hardly be more fanfare: Karim Benzema at his introduction.
Youtube
After Benzema was welcomed with much fanfare this season, he repeatedly disappointed the expectations placed on him. He seemed unmotivated, he came home late from vacation. His trainer Marcelo Gallardo took disciplinary measures and let him train alone. The man who has won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid has scored just nine goals so far – that’s not even half the goals that Cristiano Ronaldo has scored. This fully meets the expectations of its Arab financiers.
Benzema’s explanation for his dismal performance sounds adventurous: the pressure on him is incredibly great. There will be no relief, at least this winter. His club has now ruled out a change.
The Benzema case is special – and certainly not pleasant for the operators of the Pro League. When the elegant striker signed his contract, he was not at a loss for big words. He spoke of a challenge, but also that he was really looking forward to playing in a Muslim country, which was something that was welcomed.
Laporte is harshly critical
But Benzema is now not the only one who expresses his displeasure. Spanish international Aymeric Laporte was detailed in his criticism. The central defender, who was part of Champions League winners Manchester City’s squad for five years, moved to al-Nassr last year, where he is a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mané. Unlike the 36-year-old Benzema, at 29 he has not yet passed his peak.
Laporte trained under Pep Guardiola, so he came from a background that could hardly be more professional. He complained in the Spanish sports newspaper “AS” that the clubs were looking after their players, but the efforts were not sufficient: “They have to get used to a little more seriousness and take everything lightly.” When asked whether he was thinking about leaving the country, he said: “It’s not that far yet, but it could be in the future if this momentum continues.”
In any case, Laporte’s patience has not yet been exhausted. Things are different for former Liverpool player Jordan Henderson. After thirteen years in Liverpool, he joined the al-Ettifaq club coached by Steven Gerrard. His move was irritating because Henderson had always been openly committed to the concerns of the gay and lesbian community. Their rights are in a catastrophic state in Saudi Arabia. When he moved to the Saudi, he found himself in need of explanation. Henderson justified himself by reframing his job as that of a kicking activist promoting the rights of gays and lesbians.
Now Henderson has left the country again – for sporting reasons, as he explained – and has chosen a place of work with a decidedly liberal reputation: he has joined Ajax in Amsterdam. The urge to run away seems to have been great. Because Henderson isn’t just giving up a high salary. The renowned Dutch club currently has little in common with a top team.
Such reports are irritating at first glance. After all, the exodus of top players to the desert was unprecedented – and extremely costly. Financed by Saudi oil and fed by the unbridled ambition to excel internationally, the new player brought worry lines to the European competition. Expenses for transfers are now approaching the billion mark. The Saudi Pro League not only has a sporting purpose, but also an economic and even geostrategic function.
The footballers are supposed to encourage the overweight Saudis
The rulers in the Gulf want to make their economy more crisis-proof through diversification. Sport occupies an important place in this strategy. On the one hand, the prominent arrivals are intended to make the rulers’ self-confidence noticeable not only in the region, but also in the West. And at the same time, the professional athletes are supposed to be entertainers for the Saudi audience: the proportion of overweight people in the kingdom is high. Sport, according to those in power, should benefit public health.
The irritation in Europe’s football wonderland is unlikely to bring any relief. The Saudis have financial staying power. Their determination not only to play internationally, but also to have a say in the rules, is great.