UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin has said that Saudi Arabia is making a “mistake” by signing European footballers at the end of their careers.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal became one of the biggest stars to ply his trade in the Middle East when he joined Riyadh-based Al Nassr Football Club last year.
It made him the highest-paid footballer with reports suggesting he is netting €200 million ($219 million/£171 million) per year.
Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema joined the bandwagon recently and is set to play for Al-Ittihad.
Similar Offers were also made for World Cup winners Lionel Messi of Argentina and N’Golo Kanté of France and Croatian midfield maestro Luka Modrić.
The nationalisation of four top Saudi Arabian clubs – Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Hilal – as 75 per cent ownership was transferred to Public Investment Fund (PIF) suggests that more players are expected to follow.
But Čeferin said they should invest in academies instead of players nearing the end of their careers.
“No, no, no,” Čeferin told Dutch broadcaster NOS when asked if he was scared of a player exodus.
“I think that it’s mainly a mistake for Saudi Arabian football.
“Why is that a problem for them?
“Because they should invest in academies, they should bring coaches, and they should develop their own players.
“The system of buying the players that almost ended their career is not the system that develops football.
“It was a similar mistake in China when they all brought players who are at the end of their career.”
Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Frédéric Kanouté, Carlos Tevez and Oscar were some of the star players who left for China when the country’s league adopted a similar approach.
However, it did not help with development of sport in the Asian nation.
“Tell me one player who is top, top age and who starts his career and went to play in Saudi Arabia?” Čeferin continued.
“But it’s not about money only.
“Players want to win top competitions.
“And top competition is in Europe.
“We didn’t lose them.
“They still play football.
“At the end of their career some players go somewhere to earn some money.”
