The luxurious and lavish lifestyles that stars in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) have to offer have been revealed.
2023 was the year when Saudi Arabia really left its mark on football. The country built on their success at last year's World Cup – where they defeated eventual winners Argentina in the group stage – by attracting a host of high-profile stars to their domestic competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big name to move to the kingdom, signing a £173 million-a-year contract after his acrimonious departure from Manchester United.
He was followed by several big names in the summer as SPL clubs spent more than £700 million on the likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar and Premier League stars such as N'Golo Kante, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
And from a study by The timeshas revealed a snapshot of the lives of these footballers and their families in a deeply conservative state.
A snapshot of the lives of footballers and their families in Saudi Arabia has been revealed
Ronaldo was the biggest name to move to the Middle East and he was accompanied by his children and partner Georgina Rodriguez (left)
Rodriguez and Ronaldo needed a special dispensation to live together as they are not married
The likes of Jordan Henderson were one of many European stars to move to the Saudi Pro League this summer. The former Liverpool skipper plays for Al-Ettifaq but lives in Bahrain
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Firstly, along with a number of players, some major managers also moved to the Middle East, including Steven Gerrard.
However, according to the report, both Gerrard and his former Liverpool colleague Henderson live in Bahrain, the small island nation with skyscrapers, white sandy beaches and a more liberal lifestyle than border country Saudi Arabia.
Their children attend the local British school, while they are occasionally seen having a drink at the nearby rugby club.
It is a short cross-border journey to Dammam, where Al-Ettifaq is located, and the journey takes approximately 35 minutes.
Nevertheless, most of the other newcomers to the SPL live in Saudi Arabia, where a slew of facilities and luxury luxuries are available to the stars and earn huge salaries, including Neymar, who is reportedly on a two-year tax-free contract. worth £260 million at Al-Hilal.
The report claims that the players live in massive villas, which can be as large as 30,000 square feet, or in luxury hotels, with Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez originally settling in at the five-star Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh.
In addition to the fantastic accommodation, the players also have private jets at their disposal.
The Times report also explains how players at lower levels would even be given access to the club's or sponsor's private planes, with flights in the kingdom treated like taxis.
There are similar world-class restaurants available, including Novikov or Hakkasan, where dishes cost as much as £600, and meals are often dished out for free by Michelin-starred chefs.
One source told the Times: 'Where there is a request or demand, there is no limit. Everything is organised, everything is arranged and facilitated… a package is offered to really make them feel comfortable, not to make them homesick.'
Meanwhile, players are also unofficially expected to give good publicity to the league and Saudi Arabia on their social media accounts.
Ronaldo is by far the biggest name in the SPL and he and his partner Rodriguez needed a special dispensation to live together as they are not married.
Despite being a very conservative nation, with a strong Muslim population, social restrictions are being relaxed, while in private complexes where many stars live, these are regularly not even present.
Alcohol is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia, but given their status as athletes, footballers do not see this as a problem.
Even if they want alcohol, the report claims it is easy to obtain, either through smuggling or diplomatic connections, with national restrictions set to be further relaxed in coming years as part of Saudi's Vision 2030.
Steven Gerrard – who runs Al-Ettifaq – also reportedly lives in Bahrain, where it is a 35-minute journey across the border to Dammam, where his party is based.
Some of the private villas that stars live in are reportedly as large as 30,000 square feet, while a source in the report said they are treated like princes when they go to restaurants.
The kingdom-based footballers are also revered by the populace, with another source comparing their treatment to that of a prince when they go to places in Riyadh or Jeddah.
While most players are enjoying life in Saudi Arabia, it should be noted that some foreign WAGS have not yet moved to the kingdom, while others prefer to visit or meet nearby Dubai.
But for the players making the move, the charm offensive and concern could not be greater, with some revealing in the report how their arrival at the airport was greeted by club officials who gave them SIM cards for their phones, before finding apartments full. of food and drink.
Overall, the experience in Saudi Arabia has been largely positive for several stars and with the January transfer window on the horizon, coupled with the seemingly unlimited resources on offer from the SPL clubs, it would come as no surprise if yet a number of players would take the step. to the Middle East.