Here's the absurd reason why many players want to leave Saudi Arabia

This summer, European clubs watched with concern as many of their best players decided to leave in exchange for multi-million dollar offers from some Saudi Arabian teams. This path was started by Cristiano Ronaldo in December 2022, when he left Manchester United to play for Al-Nassr, and then followed by other stars such as Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr and Sadio Mané.

These signings helped the Pro League grow exponentially from the 2023/24 season onwards. Many fans from five continents now follow the matches of Saudi Arabia's top clubs, when until a few months ago they were probably unaware of their existence.

In light of this, the Asian country's project seems to be yielding excellent results. In fact, it is part of an even bigger plan, which includes hosting the 2034 World Cup. However, they have encountered an unexpected problem.

There are increasing reports of the alleged disappointment of some of the players and coaches who arrived in Saudi Arabia this summer. They have encountered a country where soccer does not have the passion that exists in Europe or South America. And this is borne out by stadium spectator statistics: most clubs have an average attendance of less than 5,000. One of the few exceptions is Al-Ittihad, with an average of 29,000 fans.

Some are not happy, some are

This week The Sun reported that many of the stars who arrived in the Pro League this summer are regretting the decision they made. Even the English newspaper said: "Some hate every second there". But there are also opposite examples: Karim Benzema gave an interview in which he said that in Saudi Arabia he is "at peace" and that he was positively surprised by the level of the league.