On the Pitch and Beyond
The Stars on Display
Karim Benzema leads the table-topping Al Ittihad side, with ex-Premier League champions Fabinho and N'Golo Kante in midfield and Steven Bergwijn on the left flank. Opposing them is Al Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who has Aymeric Laporte and Sadio Mane in his ranks. This match has an A-list talent pool, but the supporting cast feels a bit underpowered.Each side has a mix of Saudi players and less stellar imports. In the end, Al Ittihad won 2-1 with goals from Benzema and Bergwijn. Ronaldo also scored for Al Nassr, adding to the excitement. But is this the best the Saudi Pro League has to offer in 2024? The league's stated aim of being a top-10 league by 2030 seems a long way off.
The Saudi National Team's Journey
Saudi football fans have their own set of priorities. Saeed Al-Owairan's goal against Belgium at the 1994 World Cup is their greatest moment, followed by Salem Al-Dawsari's strike against Argentina in 2022. Roberto Mancini's tenure as manager was a mixed bag, with some impressive victories but also many losses.Despite recent setbacks, the team is still in the running for a World Cup berth. They are only one point behind Australia in second place, with four games to play. But they need to improve to reach their full potential.
The Impact of the Saudi Pro League Revolution
Six months ago, the Saudi Pro League announced a major takeover by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Since then, huge amounts of money have been spent on the transfer window, bringing in stars like Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, and Neymar.Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 aims to transform Saudi Arabia and make the SPL a serious rival to the English Premier League. But there are challenges along the way. The league still struggles with low TV ratings in Europe and low attendance at some games. Only a few Saudi players are coming through the turnstiles, and the average age of Saudi-qualified players has gone up.
The Future of the Saudi Pro League
There are concerns about the two-tier nature of the league, but everyone remains confident that gates will grow as the quality of Saudi players improves. Promoted Al Qadsiah is a prime example, with former Real Madrid star Nacho and well-travelled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the way.Analytics firms have different views on the league's ranking. Some have it ranked around the 60th-best domestic league, while others place it higher. The best SPL team, Al Hilal, has been successful with imports like Aleksandar Mitrovic. But the league needs more consistency and to encourage more people to watch the actual games.
Foreign bosses like Esteve Calzada and Domingos Soares de Oliveira are focused on developing Saudi staff and improving training facilities. The league is also working on getting younger players and lowering the average age of new signings. It seems the focus is now on building a sustainable league that Saudis can enjoy.