Karim Benzema’s troubles and Cristiano Ronaldo’s bad start to the season show that Pro League superstars are not easy to get things their own way in the Saudi Arabian football village.
Big-name players moving to the Middle East are expected to dominate the game, but so far that has not been the case. According to GOAL, Cristiano Ronaldo’s joining Al Nassr in January 2023 opened the door and the best players in Europe have flooded to the Gulf to experience a new challenge, even becoming richer.
Much of the debate surrounding this major exodus has focused on off-field considerations, such as transfer fees, wages and commercial potential. Meanwhile, the impact this talent stream can have on the pitch is rarely considered.
The signings of Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez are expected to storm the Pro League, but in fact, imports from Europe are taking many different paths. What is surprising is that some players have struggled to find their own way in the dressing room.
A prime example of tension is the power struggle between Benzema and coach Nuno Espirito Santo at Al Ittihad club. The Frenchman has yet to score in the tournament since joining champions Saudi Arabia, and there’s also a storm brewing in the dressing room.
Immediately after arriving at the club, Benzema asked to wear the captain’s armband, but coach Nuno refused, and the armband remained with Brazilian striker Romarinho this season. This disagreement threatens to lead to an all-out civil war. Benzema feels “uncomfortable” at Al Ittihad, meaning he cannot be ruled out wanting to leave.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper recently reported that there was a disagreement about foreign players at the club. Accordingly, former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi is injured but still demands full payment of the contract if Al Ittihad wants him to leave.
Then there was the strange story of Jota, the £25 million ($31.7 million) player who arrived from Celtic in July, set to part ways with Al Ittihad after just a few weeks. The reason for leaving came from the inability to adjust to life in culturally vast Saudi Arabia.
In addition, the relentless heat also proved challenging for the players from Europe. When asked about Mahrez’s first impressions of the country after scoring Al Ahli’s first goal against Al Khaleej, he joked that it was “very hot”.
In August, temperatures in the Bay Area can peak as high as 49°C and rarely get cooler than 30°C – even during the “coldest” times. Fabinho also mentioned the heat here, on his Al Ittihad debut: “We dominated the game, despite the difficult atmosphere and the high temperature”. The heat is something the players will have to adjust to as they look to make a new life in this country.
It’s not just the recent signings that have not shown their form in the Pro League this season. The tournament’s advertising specialist, Ronaldo has also had a challenging start at Al Nassr. Since helping his team lift the Saudi Arabian club championship with a brace against Al Hilal, his form has seriously declined.
Al Nassr lost to Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq team and continued to fall to Al Taawoun when captain Ronaldo seemed to be no longer fit. Victory over Shabab Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League may seem like a return to form, but also shows that Ronaldo’s task this season is much more difficult.
In addition, the teams also have to face a tight schedule. Al Nassr coach Luis Castro was furious after his team had to face Al Ettifaq just 48 hours after the Arab Club Champions Cup final. And when players play a lot under high temperatures, it leads to poor performance.
Against the backdrop of a number of European players getting off to a bad start, Roberto Firmino has emerged as a Pro League star. He scored a great hat-trick on his Al Ahli debut, but disaster struck soon after when he was injured in training.
Neymar will next month make his debut in Al Hilal’s squad after injury. The Brazilian player was also a magnet for much controversy throughout his career. The main thing is that like his colleagues who have been to Saudi Arabia before him, the former Paris Saint-Germain player will realize that the Pro League is a tougher league than he thought.
