"Not threatening at all. I think it's similar to the Chinese league. As for Saudi Arabia's professional league, which attracts soccer stars with astronomical "oil money," Alexander Chepelin, president of the European Football Confederation (UEFA), hit the nail on the head: "There is no threat at all." ”
President of the European Football Confederation (UEFA) Alexander Chepelin
President Cheperin emphasized in an interview with the French sports media "Lequif" on the 1st (Beijing time): "I feel that the Saudi league is making similar mistakes to the Chinese Super League. This way is not the right path. He added: "The Saudi league is completely non-threatening. We've seen a similar approach in the Chinese league. China has also attracted players with huge sums of money. But Chinese football did not develop, and it did not enter the World Cup after that. ”
Chepelin added: "It's not the right way to put money first. Players and coaches should be developed. But this approach is none of management's business. ”
Neymar (left), who joined Saudi side Hilal in August, sees Cristiano Ronaldo as the main driver of changing the country's football league.
With the huge financial resources of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF), the Saudi league began to flarew Cristiano Ronaldo (Alnasr) as a signal flares last December, attracting last year's Golden Ball winner Karim Benzema (Al Tihad) and "Brazilian star" Neymar (Al Hilal). It also recently hired Italian "famous coach" Roberto Mancini as the head coach of the Saudi Arabian national team.
"Some of the players who choose the Saudi league are already at the end of their careers or have no ambition to compete in the top league," Chepelin said. As far as I know, Kyrian Mbappe (Greater Paris) and Erin Holland (Manchester City) do not dream of going to the Saudi league. The best players don't go to the Saudi league. ”
Ronaldo believes that Messi's Major League Soccer League is inferior to the Saudi league and has insisted that he will never return to any club in Europe.
He also stressed speculation that Saudi clubs could play in the Champions League or bid for the final: "Only European clubs are eligible to play in the Champions League. Only UEFA member countries can apply for the final. We have absolutely no idea of changing the regulations. ”