What Is ACTUALLY Going On In Saudi Arabia? 

Kroos trolling with ‘that was fun today, amazing crowd’ after the booing in the game was simply an outstanding move, I must say.

It’s the Chinese league all over again…the culture shock just seems too much for a lot of players! The bubble has burst

You’ve hit the nail on the head with Henderson. The fact he lies about going over there for money is extremely frustrating

If the next Lionel Messi goes to Saudi Arabia instead of Barcelona, he is unlikely to become the next Lionel Messi. Facilities, experiences, and people (supportive fans) matter.

If Saudi Arabia truly wants to increase the stature of their league they need to also heavily invest in developing their own talent domestically. Right now you have star players surrounded by much lower quality players. They need to raise their talent floor to truly succeed. I’m from the US and follow MLS so I’ve seen firsthand how that talent gap within teams can reduce the overall standard

That Sadio headline is wild

Bro China lasted longer before it started to show cracks LMAO

you should make a video about El Mágico González, the greatest ever Salvadoran soccer player who dragged the country to their only world cup

A lot of players like Benzema, Neymar, Hendo…are going there for the money but also with the expectation that they won’t have to work as hard anymore. It’s the same case with Beckham when he went to MLS

Not a big surprise. You play football in a desert for fans who have no respect for legends like Beckenbauer who died. Money can't buy class.

Good on the Turkish teams for refusing to play the Final in Saudi Arabia. SA showed no respect for their culture and history, especially for it being a big milestone for Turkey, and they did the right thing pulling out.

I've in-laws working in Saudi Arabia. If their parents visit it's pretty much just sitting around the compound the adult kids live in. They're there to save enough money so they can afford to build a home in Ireland. (These are educated people who need to live in a compound in Saudi so they can afford to buy a home in Europe btw).

Look am Greek but i will tell you one thing about Turkish people since we both have this in spades , we are very patriotic and both the idea of celebrating a national and ethnical day for the fucking republic of our country in a another country would get me engraged beyond belief , massive respects to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce for straight up refusing to play and double that since the Saudi people even refused to let them show honor badges to the founder of Turkey. Now when it comes to the RSL/SPL becoming a top league yeah no chance , as of now based on Opta rankings the Saudi League is below small tier 1 european leagues , below tier 2 spanish , german , english leagues , below the MLS , brazilian and argentinian league , below the Korean and japanese leagues. (its 28th in the world which spoiler aint all that good, for comparison the Championship aka English second tier is 6th in the world) .

Yo your videos are always so good! Thanks for all the great content!

Your nuanced storytelling is a breath of fresh air here on RU-vid. I subbed!

Brother I gotta say the quality of your content is exceptional and I am glad I came across your channel good job

Im glad I found your channel. great analysis

It’s not customary to have a moment of silence? I guess they also don’t know how to shut up for a moment.

I tried watching ONE game. I loved the atmosphere before kickoff, the respective captains Ronaldo included were smiling and seemingly joking just prior to the coin toss. Then the ball was kicked and the game immediately devolved into the worst diving affair one could imagine. I was done

Sheesh bro. Your videos have always been on point. Really love the meditative, reflective (not to mention, thorough) assessment of any scenario, sprinkled in with your trademark British humor. Love it bro. But this video, in particular that last point about the European leagues essentially doing what the arab league has done, really hit it home for me this time. This is a point that is easily missed by most people, myself included. Keep doing what you do bro, you're one of the RU-vid greats out there right now

“What are you doing step-mané?”

Big credit for explaining Turkish Cup events in detail, love your content.

Great video and great analysis! Thank you for this

Coming across this YT channel for the 1st time, very good work bro 👏🏽👏🏽 subscribing now

Tbh I hope they're all stuck with the Saudi League, they deserve it.

European football has a brand value. Which had been build for over a century. Its very hard to displace that by just throwing out money.

Just discovered your videos. Love your work. I can see a lot of hard work and you seem neutral and nuanced. I have played and coached football for almost 35 years and this is the first football (podcast or anything) I have subscribed to. Love your work.

I just discovered your channel. Great content bro. Cheers from Romania 🇷🇴❤️

From what I hear from people working in Saudi the contracts are broken by employers from day 1. No day off all week for carers and homestuff even though it's in the contract and work till late night and start again in the morning.

Jordan Henderson isn’t a major player… he’s just British

Great work as always!

Thanks for this!

I'm not that much into football but I really love your videos and it's the only football channel I'm subsrived to. Was glad to hear that you're also from South Africa too. Sending my best wishes from Mzansi and can't wait till you reach 1 million subscribers which is inevitable ✌✌👌👌

Henderson apparently did not get any salary from his time in Saudi Arabia. Imagine going to a tyrannical country to promote football (earn millions upon millions) and get nothing in return. He literally just wasted 6 months of his life.

Second time I have watched your analytic videos. Your commitment to videos that are as informative, unbiased and as balanced as possible is exemplary, as well as a telling lesson to more heralded and known pundits/analysts, many much older in years, but not as mature in output. Kudos!

Great Vid man... I respect the turn of of the table... Money talks

Dude, I LOVE your content and your voice! Only just noticed i hadn't subscribed yet when you brought it up in the video! So.. subscribed!! Keep up the great work!! 👍 E: I also just want to say, that sweater looks soo warm! As someone who appreciates a nice sweater [you know, like pretty much everyone else lol], nice!!

If only if they were all as honest as Igalo

Excellent reporting.

Thanks for the Turkish Super Cup mentioning, it was well on-point

as a turk, thank you for mentioning turkish super cup situation

great video. I really appreciate the thoughtful analysis. This is a hard topic to be objective about, but you definitely managed, congrats!!!!

You seem like a genuine good guy. Subbed.

Great video, balanced and factual. Superb analysis.

The Saudi will Never be a top football league.

Bro please do a vid on Barca I honestly don’t know what to feel with my club rn. We get humiliated in El Classico we play poorly but win against a 3rd division side all areas of our game has regressed. Xavi’s lineup and tactics don’t make sense and I haven’t even mentioned the rest of how our season has been going I honestly need someone to help explain it to me. You’re already insane as u support United pls help me check into the right mental asylum as that is what I feel I will be in by the end of this season.😢😢😢

Big credit for explaining I like your content

Lovely video, some food for thought indeed.

It's not very odd that people who are used to freedom of speech, human rights and equality doesn't want to be there anymore. All the money in the world is not good enough to restrict your self worth and happiness.

Excellent video. I work in international TV sports and we recently started doing highlights from some Saudi league matches as there are just too many big names there, even if they’re older. Plus they aren’t very restrictive on use and obviously they don’t ask for money (yes sports leagues worldwide ask for large amounts of money from news outlets if want to show timely highlights from their matches) so it’s kind of why not do the highlights. Point is that, like you said, this is only going to grow as Saudi PIFund has around $750 billion US dollars to spend, so giving a player a $30m contract is literally pocket change

Good nuanced video!

Great video

Ironic how the captions call FIFPRO "Thief pro" at 3:23 😂

If history has taught us anything is that Arabs sure know how to keep it classy. Booing beckenbauer tells me all I need to know about these “people”

Great video.

Thanks!

all the amazing signings they make won't matter as long as there is famous people like Kroos who are brave enough to say out loud what is happening

People keep saying that saudi arabia and its people loves sports/sporting events, but it just doesnt seem like thats the case. Across the entirety of the Saudi Pro League, the average attendance is just 8,776 per game. Even the big teams like Al Hilal only have stadiums at 40% capacity. I live in a country with a smaller population than saudi arabia by a lot, but our domestic league, which is similar in rank gets over double their average attendance. Also, Whenever any of the other major events get brought to saudi arabia, the people that turn up tend to just be the mega-rich and the media, rather than the general populace. Even the Qatar world cup had to essentially buy fans to fill out the stadiums, and that was for the literal biggest sporting event outside the olympics. I just don't see how its possible to bring major sports to saudi arabia and keep them there when you don't seem to have a population that cares about sports.

First video I have seen of yours... First impressions are great... like how you layout and deliver the football content/news. Def subbing. Jaah BLeSSingS & ChEErs back at you!

Nice jumper mate, good work fella

Am disappointed you didn't drop a KDB video 😢... Was eagerly waiting for it .😅 Hope it's still coming.. I mean Saudi 🇸🇦

Today is 22/01/2024. Let me drop this here. The day Ronaldo retires or leaves Saudi, that is the end of the Saudi Pro League. He is the only reason this league is still talked about.

Shout out to you for being in this space Tinashe. Yours truly, Tichatonga Nyengera

Good balanced video on the subject that doesn’t dive into the sensational headlines everyone else does

Meanwhile, Ronaldo: "Saudi league is better than Ligue 1 and Ballon d'Or is losing its credibility" Hmmmm, I wonder what he meant by that.

Here's another question for you: What is ACTUALLY going on with the Durban Sharks?

Noti gang 🫡👊🏿

Hey nice video But what are your thoughts on the afcon

I mean, obviously Salman wouldn't see sportswashing as a problem. He doesn't think any of the things Saudi Arabia do is unethical, so changing people's perception, is just a net good for him.

I think it is a little too early to tell. But my own feeling is the Saudis went too big and too fast with their spending on their high profile signings. Maybe they should have looked at improving their stadia infrastructure and letting their players play in foreign leagues to get exposure. And also develop academies with some big name coaches attached to it.

Nice!

I appreciate your nonchalance about subscribing but you work very hard on your videos and provide insightful and intelligent points of view on football news and topics. It may be out of character for you but you're doing yourself a disservice by not at least politely asking for people to subscribe to your channel. Thanks as always for the video though. Happy new year and hope you're in good health 🫶

They should rename the Saudi League to the "Bonesaw League".

I said this back when all these players started signing with the Saudi Pro League: if I was a player going there I’d make sure my wages were paid in USD or EUR to an offshore account and have a car with a valid passport in the glove box ready to take me to the airport at a moment’s notice.

Got Sofascore 💪

Tinashe!!!!!🙌🏾🙌🏾

Saudi might have the money but they lack everything else...Guess football is better played in europe...premier league,A bit of lal liga,bit of bundesliga and lots of champions league

Oh hey! I just wanted to mention that Gavi Vega, this really talented young player from Celta de Vigo, actually went to Saudi Arabia for the money.

I honestly feel like the booing in the minute’s silence should have been the nail in the coffin for the Saudi league. As you’ve said there’s been no clear explanation for it. The football world should have reacted more strongly to fans booing the commemoration of one of the greatest players of all time. Just grim to see

another certified football iconic banger

Saudi sporting success is like borrowing money from others. As long as they don’t have a home grown sports industry they will be vulnerable. There is a reason that no other country over a city state consider this to be a feasible model of growth.

Great content. I (unfortunately) don’t have time these days to stay up to date with the goings on within the football world like I did when I was younger. This is (in my humble opinion) the best place to get a summary of it in an easy and enjoyable way. Many thanks and keep up the great work!

Great video man I appreciate you mentioning Turkey and Atatürk as well

That's why Messi will ALWAYS be above these golddiggers. There is nomore love for the game, just the money.

If the booing is because they "dont observe moments of silence" in Saudi Arabia is true, they are the worst hosts ever. Hosting teams from other nations and not respecting their customs in any way is pretty gross. I hope that isn't true.

The Italian super cup final took place there last Monday. Right Before the match started, the Italian football legend Gigi Riva passed. So they held a minute of silence prior to starting the second half. Guess what? The public booed. I really don’t know why.

I'm Saudi and went in this video with bad impressions like "let's see what this guy has to say!". But, a lot of your points were spot on, especially this one 9:44 . I do not condone what ever they call as "restrictive" but I back your point on the mega rich.

I would love to see you do a video on the Mexican national team/Mexican football in general. For a football crazed nation we haven’t won anything except for the 1999 confederations cup.

Henderson was like “today I feel gay” Saudi said “want money?”

thanks Tinashe wakaipa

bro put on that fresh Sunday sweater 🤌

wow I didn't know the Sadio Mané thing. I'm honstly releaved that Bayern got rid of him so fast. Great video as usual

Cr7 needs to leave saudi and comeback to sporting his childhood club and finish his career there.

Interesting deep dive on sports washing in general..

BABE WAKE UP NEW FOOTBALL ICONIC VIDEO!

Personally I still think it reeks all over of China 2.0. There are multiple issues they are not really tackling, for a start outside the big 4, no one bothers watching, some games have fewer than 500 people, hardly says 'football mad' country or that there are a lot of fans into it, Notts County was getting 20k people in the National League last year, 5th tier of English football. The vast distances cause massive issues, players don't particularly like it, and it means fans barely travel so that also hurts the attendances and the game atmosphere (all of which are important to TV audiences). You then have the cultural issues, like it or not but fans will be put off by their human rights record, anti-women and anti-lgbt stances, sponsors, TV companies etc. as well, you have players not living in the country and staying elsewhere, which likely not many of them will put up with for long. Then there is the weather, not great for fans at the grounds or the players or the intensity of the football, the intensity I have seen in games is like walking pace, it reminds me of World Cups in the summer in hot countries, tempo of those games suck and produces boring football, people watch because well it is the World Cup, but they won't put up with it on TV game after game when better products exist (also ironically the more Saudi oil we use the more climate change gets worse and their weather will get hotter and hotter). Then there is the standard of the non-big 4 teams and the domestic players in general, its way below the foreign imports, it produces mismatches, poor quality games and local fans will want to see domestic stars, they will get tired of just foreign players all the time, increasing the foreign limits just makes it worse as even less chance Saudi youngsters will get in those teams and flourish playing with better players. Even the PL has started learning that lesson. If you look at the PL as the biggest, most watched, marketed league it has packed stadiums for every team, teams are close together so plenty of away fans and local rivalries, the weather is more temperate and together with English football culture this produces higher tempo, faster games that are generally more exciting to watch, English young talents are being more nurtured and coming through at clubs more so fans have a more local connection with their players more than they used to, and crucially the money is split between all the clubs so the league is more competitive.

lol, the Saudi’s hyping up their one and only win against Argentina….They got knocked out of the group stage after losing the other two games….Clearly it was fluke and nothing more……

Could we get a video on the shifts in football tactics over the years? Im especially interested in the shifting role of the number 10 and the demise of the classic 10 especially after the zidane and messi interview

The late payment thing is also a problem with basketball players that play overseas from what I’ve heard on several sports podcasts 😅

The MLS is going to be a lot bigger in 20 years than the saudi league ever will. And before you think that I’m trying to make it a Messi-Ronaldo debate, I’m not, this has nothing to do with it. But to grow a sport in a country, a culture, you have to do it with your own people. You can’t just buy players from outside the country and get them to change the culture. You need your national team to perform well in tournaments to bring up the interests of the fans in their local league. I believe that with the MLS’s investments in their youth and in growing the league locally without relying on foreigners, and after the World Cup being played in the U.S., there will be a legitimate raise of interest for football in the U.S., the level of football will increase, nationally as well as in club level and as the passion for the sport grows, so will the sport, and ultimately the quality of it. I could see the MLS being as big as the UEFA in 50 years. Because of America’s history in creating passion around sports and having this patriotic culture as well. And yeah, sure, having Messi there will help to boost the interests of the fan for a bit. The problem with Saudi Arabia is that they are purposely trying to hop on Ronaldo’s wave of influence and make it change their sport. Truth is, as soon as he will be gone, people will start being honest again about how terrible the league is and how bad the football is. No one is trying to pretend that the MLS is great football, yet for some reason many people lie to themselves that Saudi football is great. As soon as Ronaldo is gone it will be over. There is this feeling in Saudi Arabia that it’s all about money. The fans know it, the players know it, the managers know and the owners say it out loud. Without passion or actual investment in the national team and the Saudi identity, nothing will really change. They can’t rely on European super stars, they need to have their own. And sure it would take a lot of time, but that’s the only way to do it.