UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin sees no threat to European football despite the almost inexhaustible financial power in Saudi Arabia. “No no. Why should we be afraid?” said the Slovenian at the “Spobis” conference in Hamburg on Wednesday: “I think they want to become a power in football. But my personal opinion is that their approach is wrong.”
If you simply buy players “who mainly can no longer play in Europe, you pay too much money,” said Čeferin: “Are you developing young players? I do not believe that. I think it was similar in China. And it didn’t end very well.”
Fans in Europe follow their “club or their national team or both, and they follow the competition,” says Čeferin: But “they don’t follow the player to the moon. Football is – thank God – one of those things that you can’t buy. Try telling the fans in Germany: ‘I’ll pay you some money and you support another club’.” That wouldn’t work.
There will be no Champions League final in Saudi Arabia under Čeferin as head of the European Football Union. “Not during my term,” he said. “But I won’t be there forever.” The Spanish and Italian leagues recently held their Super Cup finals in the country.
Saudi Arabia for Neuendorf “football country”
Meanwhile, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf sees Saudi Arabia as a “real football country” in contrast to Qatar and does not share the sometimes great criticism of the football model there. He recently got an idea on site with other association presidents from Europe.
“It has already become clear that the Saudis are not just interested in signing expensive stars for their top clubs. In order to develop football, they are building many new football pitches, want to train coaches and players well, and develop girls’ and women’s football,” Neuendorf told the “Neue Westfälische”.
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There is great enthusiasm for football in Saudi Arabia. “The euphoria and joy of the many Saudi fans during the World Cup in Qatar, especially after the opening victory over eventual world champions Argentina, was impressive,” said Neuendorf. Nevertheless, he believes that Europe will remain “the number one football region in the world”.
In the past, Saudi Arabia has pumped billions of dollars into sport, especially football. The country, which has been heavily criticized for its human rights situation, is the only applicant for the 2034 World Cup. The kingdom is accused of wanting to burnish its image through sport.
