Once upon a time, LaLiga was very popular. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s rivalry used to be the hot topic in football.
Millions of people couldn’t wait to watch El Classio. And those matches will be in our memories forever.
However, with Ronaldo and Messi gone, LaLiga is not so popular nowadays. Unlike English Premiere League, LaLiga is not competitive and is predictable.
So, the big question is has the Saudi Pro League become bigger than LaLiga?
I think it has. Other big players like Kante, Fermino, Mane, Mahrez, Henderson and Neves have already joined the Saudi Pro League and this is just the beginning.
Also, Football Club Al-Hilal is working on a potentially ground-breaking deal, as they look to prise Kylian Mbappe away from his contract stand off at Paris Saint-Germain.
If one club invests too much money in big players, then that club dominates rest of the team and it sort of becomes monopoly.
For example, PSG have spent over €1.3bn on player transfers since the summer of 2011. And the club has won League 1 for 9 times. This is total domination.
Such spending comes at a cost, the league becomes boring as other teams fail to compete against the giant.
However, since the clubs in the Saudi Pro League are being privatised as part of a government project to help progress the sport develop in the country, it removes the chance of a single club becoming a giant.
If a league consist of clubs that have equally balanced team, then it produces highly competitive matches and the league becomes like a roller coaster ride.
Right now, only Premiere League is capable of doing that.
When Ronaldo joined Al Nassr, its official Instagram account got bombarded with millions of followers. Where ever, Cristiano goes, he makes history.
Why are players going to Saudi Arabia?
The transfer of Neves shocked a lot of fans as he was constantly linked with Barcelona and Manchester United. European football is often considered as the pinnacle of the sport at club level, largely due to the UEFA Champions League.
The simple answer as to why players are going to Saudi Arabia is money. Most footballers will retire from the sport in their late thirties, providing they haven’t been forced into an early end by injuries. Therefore, maximising their earnings can often be a priority over competing for bigger trophies.
For example, Neves was reportedly earning around £4m ($5.1m) per year with Wolves. He is now set to earn an estimate of £12m ($15.3m) a year at Al Hilal, tripling his salary in Riyadh.
The rumoured deal for Mbappe will reportedly include a base salary of €200m for a one-year contract, if he accepts the offer, ahead of joining Real Madrid for free in 2024.
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